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BALTIMORE: 



C. C. Saffell, 21 N. Calvert^St. 

1877. 



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Centennial Celebration 




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BALTIMORE, MD. 
C. C. Saffell, 21 N. Calvert St. 

1877. 



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PBEFAGE. 



Few events have occurred in Maryland which combine so much 
pure and genuine hospitality, dignity, social intercouse, intellec- 
tual instrution, and historical exhibits as were collected and 
brought together at the Montgomery county centennial celebra- 
tion on the 6th of Sept, 1876. Such events, so well calculated to 
harmonize and bring together a whole community, as it were, 
into one patriotic family of fraternal relation aid brotherhood, 
deserve more than a passing notice. Under this conviction ,the 
publisher, as far as practicable, has brought to view the addresses, 
incidents, and exhibits on the joyous occasion; and ventures upon 
its publication in this unpretentious form, in the hope and ex- 
pectation that it will be appeciated as not the least of the many 
interesting events called forth by the recurrence of the Centen- 
nial year of our I^ational Independence. It is to be regretted that 
all the interesting letters read on the occasion, could not be fur- 
nished to the publisher, and a list of all the time-honored relics exhib 
ted ; but this is owing to the fact that many of them were removed 
from tha grounds on the day of celebration without furnishing 
the differect committees with a list of them. The addresses from 
the stand will follow each other in the order of their delivery, so 
far as can be ascertained, and a Ust of the exhibits will appear in 
the latter pages of the book. 

The Publisheb. 




RICHARD MONTGOMERY. 



mc jjjcntjgoniiirg foitnlo ^fcni^niial Celebration. 



In accordance with a resolution offered by Allen Bowie 
Davis Esq. and adopted at a public meeting held in the 
Court House in the month of January preceding, the citizens 
of Montgomer}'' County, Maryland, met on the Fair Grounds 
at Rockville, September 6, 1876. This" being the Centennial 
anniversary of the organization of the County, citizens from 
all parts of the county flocked to the meeting, thus shr,wing 
that Mr. Davis had rightfully understood thepatrotic sentiments 
of his fellow countymen and women . The committee in charge 
of the celebration included the following ladies and gentlemen : 
A.B. Davis, chairman ; W. W, Blunt, Dr. Nicholas Brewer, 
H. C. Hallowell E. B. Prettyman, H. W. Talbot, J. T. Moore, 
I. Young, M. Wilson, Washington Bowie, Mrs C. J. Maddox, 
Miss Rebecca D. Davis, Mrs. Dr. W. A. Waters, Miss Susan Daw- 
son, Mrs. Mar}'- B. Thomas, Misses Nannie Wootten, Ella Bouic, 
Mary Bouic, Jennie Hodges, Sallie Peter, E. Darne, Laura 
Muncaster, Grace Green, J. Anderson, Bookie Russell, Cora 
Stover, M. Dawson, Delia Maus, Mollie Dice, ^gnes Bailey, 
Blanch Braddock, Maggie Fields, Sidonia Puraphrey, Lillie 
Campbell, Mary^Higgins, Nannie McCormic, Belle Almoney, T. 
Benning, Sallie Benning, Ida Adamson, Emma Kleindienst, 
Nannie Williams, and Estelle Bouic, Wm. Brewer, Hon. W 
Veirs Bouic Sr., George Peter, Chas. Abert, Jas. E, Henderson 
and Spencer C. Jones. The following gentlemen composed the 
Executive Committee, A. B. Davis, Esq. Chairman; Wm. 
Blunt, E. B. Prettyman, H. C. Hallowell, and Dr. N. Brewer ; 
E. B. Prettyman, Secretary; W. Viers Bouic Treasurer, to 
whose energy, and the kindly aid of the local papers, is due the 
succpss'.of this interesting occasion which will long be remem- 
bered by all present as one of the most pleasant reunions in 
which they ever participated. In addition to the speaking and 
festivities, it was determined to collect as many "Centennial 
relics" as could be found and place them on exhibition 



6 

The spacious building where were deposited in glass cases 
the various ancique curiosities which had been brought for ex- 
hibition was crowded to its utmost capacity. Among the 
articles exhibited were several relics of General Washington, 
the authenticity of which were uiiquestionable ; among them a 
lock of his hair, a piece of wood from one of his coffins, auto- 
graph letters, also old china ware, some pieces of which were 
rendered very iDteresting by the spicy inscriptions which show 
ed the bitter hostility of the makers, to the famous stamp act. 

Among the prominent citizens ot the County present were, 
Montgomery Blair, Wm Brewer, E. J. Hall, Caleb Stabler, Rev. 
Mr. Averitt, V. S. White, Sr., Wm. Brown, R. R. Waters, S. T. 
Stonestreet, Hon. Geo. A, Pearre, of Alleghany county, John 
S. Miller, Francis Valdeman, Robert Peter, W- H. Talbott, 
Rev. J. F. Mackin, John H. Clagett, Jr., Dr. Turner Wootton, 
Edwin Higgins, Edward W. Owen, Dr. Wash. Waters, Col. J. 
W. Anderson, Elbert Perry, Hon. i^os. H. Bradley, Nathan 
Clagett, Capt. Thos. Griffith, George E. Brooke, Col. John H. 
Dade, Gustavus Jones, Samuel Riggs of R. Samuel Higgins, 
Herry Kenshaw, J. F. D. Magruder, Rev. D. Mason, Rev. R. 
T. Brown, Rev. John C. Dice, Nicholas Dawson, Dr. Cephas 
F. VVillett, Pennel Palmer, Francis Miller, J. A. Taney, J. 
Purdum and Mr. Tchaffaly. 

At 11:45 A. M. Mr. Davis called the assembly to order, when a 
quintette of males sang, *' Lord we are Thy people". The 
Rev. B. Barry, 86 years of age, the oldest minister of the Bal- 
timore Conferance, offered a touching prayer, concluding with 
"The Lords Prayer" which was recited in concert by the peo- 
ple. A, B. Davis, Esq., next delivered an address which will 
be found in the fol'owing pages, as well as the address of 
T, Anderson, Esq., which contains an historical sketch of the 
county. Henry C. Hallowell recited a beautiful poem prepar- 
ed by him for the occasion. The next thing in order was dinner 
ivhich was a most enjoyable feast, after which Judge Rich'd J 
Bowie delivered an able and interesting address which is pub- 
lished herewith. Brief addresses were also delivered by 
Judge Pearre, Judge Jones, and Rev, Mr, Averitt. During 
the da}' Mr Chas. Abort read a number of letters received 
from well known gentlemen, natives of Montgomery, giving 
reasons for inability to be present at the first Centennial of 
the County. Nearly all the writers took occasion to express 



their warm love for the County. Towards evening the cit 
izens separated, much pleased with having spent a profitable 
and pleasant day. 

Among those on the stand were Rev. Father Mackey of 
the Catholic Church, Rev. Mr. Brown of the Epicopal 
Church, Rev. Mr. Averitt, and also the Rev. Mr. Brown, 
of the Methodist church, with other Reverend clergy whose 
names wo regret we were unable to obtain. At the close Dr. 
Wilson Magruder, leader of the choir, sang the doxology and 
all joined in. Rev. Mr. Barry closed the exercises at the stand 
by pronouncing the benediction. 



ADDRESS Ot A. B. DAVIS E'iq. 



l\\ Mr. Griflis' recent work upon Japan, a country but little 
known and heretofore clostd (o the outside world, lie mentions 
tliese interesting facts; "That almost all ofi'the eiglitj--six provinces 
and large cities lave their special historian. Towns and villages 
have tlicir local written annals. Eaniily records are faithfully kept 
from generation to gene ration. Diaries and notes of passing events 
are preserved In most of the I'uddhist temples and monasteries, 
and histories for the young may be counted by the hundred.'' 
In view of such an example from a people hitherto regarded as 
semi-civilized, how timely and appropriate ^the Proclamation of 
the President of the United States, requesting the people in this 
centennial yt ar, to assemble in their respective towns and counties 
and rescue from obscurity and oblivion, the incidents and events 
connected with the first century of the nation. But even before 
this !-• reclamation was issued, the people of Montgomery in public 
meeting assembh d of their own motion and free will, had resolved 
to hold this meeting, and celebrate this day. I therefore take 
great pleasure, ladies and 'gentlemen, friends and fellow-citizens, 
venerable and venerated Sires, in congratulating you upon the 
alacrity with whichjyou have responded to this resolve, and the spirit 
interest and numbers in which you have assembled to do honor 
to the first anniversary of a hundred years of your political exist- 
ence. In the further discharge of the duty assigned me by the Ex- 
ecutive Committee, 1 shall ; s naturally suggested by the time and 
occasion attempt to recall an incident connected with the early 
organizat'on of the general government. In the hall in Philadel- 
phia, in which was held the sessions of the Conventiim of 1787, that 
framed the Constitution of the Unitid States, there wafhuigupon 
the wall, a picture, representing a sun half-conccaled below the 
horizon. After the final adoption of that instrument, Benjamin 
Franklin arose and spoke as follows, "Mr- President Since we 
have been in ses ion, and while listening to the debates of this Con- 
vention, I have often looked upon that picture and wondered 
wheth' r it v\as intended to represent a rising or a setting sun. I 
now see by the adoption of thi> constitution, \\hich guaranties to 
thejpeoplo of the United States, a national life s^nd independence, 
that the picluu was ii tet ded to icpreenls a rising sui'." That in 



airiiiiieut, tlie power, extent, and strength <if which was then S) 
pioph<?iically foretold by Franklin, and under wliich the nation has 
i^rown from three to torty-three millions of people, U sai 1 in some 
of ijs most important features to have been patterned after our 
state Constitution, adopte 1 in 1770, just eU-ven years before the 
adoption of the Federal Constituion. By its provisioi.s, ju-t one 
hundred years ago, this day, our county was set off as a separate and 
independent political organization, and clothed with all the rights, 
privileges, advantages and responsibilities, incident to, and necessa- 
ry tor, such an organization. It is \\oriliy to note, that this event 
occuned but sixty-two days after^the adoption of the Declaration 
of Independance and presented the opportunity then (eagerly ein^ 
braced by our immediate forefather- of this count/y to draw a 
broad and distinct line between Royalty and Republicanism, and 
thereby to proclaim to the w r'd, that the separation w as final 
and forever. Henct^ tne name of Montgomery after that gallant sol- 
dier, Gen. Richard Montgomery who, on the last day of the pre- 
ceding year, 1775, yielded up his life in the heroic attempt to res- 
cue the Canadas from the dominion of Great Britain, and win them 
to the then struggling cause of self-government in the American 
Colonies. 

No longer do we find our towns and counties, as of old, named af 
ter Princes, Lords and Dukes, as for example, Prince George's 
County, after Prince George, who ascended the throne of England 
with the title of George 1. Baltimore town and county, after the 
first of the Lords Baltimore, and Frederick county, after Freder- 
ick Lord Baron of Baltimore, last proprietor of that title; but on 
the contrary, simple and illustrious republican names are adopted 
in their stead as Washington and Montgomery, one in spirit, in 
heroism and patriotism, like twin j-isiters, born on the same day and 
of the same parent, t ley willfonver mark a new era, a new his- 
tory and a new form of government for the state of Maryland. As 
subdivisions went on and new counties were formed, such preten- 
tious names as My Lord Baltimore, Lord Frederick, Lord Arundle 
and Prince Georg ■, were made to give way before* advancing re- 
publican ideas and republican names. Names memorable both in 
the civil and military servici^ of the country now appear, thus; Car- 
roll aid Howard, the first after (has Carroll of Tarollton, the sec- 
ond after John Eager Howtrd, both distinguished in our revolution 
ary struggle, and in a long and honorable career as eminent cit- 
izens and officers of the state, ^nd last, though not least, youno- 
Garre-t, after the distinguished President of the Baltimore & 
Ohio railroad; whose motto is, "to strike for distant points"; hence 
the marvel which has come to pass, that the t'as and silks of China 



10 

and Japan, are actually passing thr .u;2;h our cointy as their 
quickest and shortest rouL from the fir-west to the Kastern niark'jta 
of the world. 

It sesinf^ therefore eminently fit and proper, upon an occa- 
aion like this— the recurrence of our first Centennial— that we 
should meet as we have done in the broad light; not of a half-risen 
but a full meridian sun; in t le presence of each other, and in the 
presence of these venerable men — who remain and I hope may long 
reroain, as living links between tiie pist and present; and with them 
ill social and friendly intercourse, with song and in verse, with 
music, and with oratory, give expression to such feelings and en- 
joyments, and such new resolves, as such an anniversary is so well 
calculated to inspire and suggest. 

Lot us upon this Centennial day recall the primitive habits of in 
dustry, frugality and rcono ny, an i true republican sentiments 
which distinguished and animated our ancesto s; as is shown by 
the many interesting relics, sketches, and reminiscences here on 
this day gathered and displayed. Let us gather from them the in- 
spiration of wisdom and knowledge, truth and justi' e, religion and 
piety— and in this light, regard and recognize each other; not sim- 
ply as inhabitants of the same county, divided and kept apart by 
sect and party; but as fellow-citizens, friends and neiglibors, bound 
to each other by the ties of a common interest, and a common des 
tiny, owing to each mutual obligations and responsibilities, M'ith 
constant -opportunities for reciprocal benefits, advantages, and 
good offices. 

Providence has given the ability to no man to do much, that 
something may be left to be done by all. Only by cultivating suoh 
feelings and sentiments, and acting upon them, are we worthy of 
our inheritance; or can we hoi)e or expect to elevate our beloved 
county to the rank, standing, and influence to which her historic 
name, central position, social and artificial advaiitages, and advan- 
tages of soil and climate, entitle her to occupy among her sister 
counties of the .state. Think your county your home, the inhab- ' 
itants your neighbors-all your friends, your children your own soul, 
endeavoring to surpass all these by liberality, and good nature. 



11 

After nvis'c by the ban 1, Thomas Anderson"Esq, was introdu- 
ved to tJlve ^audience, and delivered the folhJwing Historical and Sta- 
tistical Sketch of the Counfy. 

MR. ANDERSON SAID: 

It is now but three-hundred and eii;ht..-'"our years since this 
Western hemisphere was a teri-a incognita to the civilized world, 
and but two hundred and sixty-nine years, a period 
scarcely sufficient for the organization of a European state, 
sine.' the lirst settlement by the Anglo-Saxon race, a rac«e which 
now dominati s this entire continent, and, in fact, the world was 
-effected upon these shores. It is, indeed, wonderful to contem- 
plate what has since been accomplished. The progress of settle- 
ment is almost more wonderM than the progress of science, 

A trackless waste of waters three thousand miles in width, lay 
l)etween those first colonists and their European homes, the only 
means of traversing which were the sIoav old fashioned sailing ves- 
sels of scarcely greater burden than our pleasure yachts, and ot 
vastly inferior construction. 

No sit)eam palaces wafted those hardy pioneers across those wild 
and unknown waters; no electric spark flashed intelligence of weal 
or woe to friends at home. An equally trackless wilderness lay 
before them; the homes of savage beasts and still more savage 
men. But amid all these dangsrs and difficulties, which we of this 
day are powerless to appreciate, they subdued the wilderness, found- 
ed communities, builded towns and cities, and in little more than 
a century and a half after their first settlement, constituted thir- 
teen distinct sovereignties, with an aggregate population of three 
million souls, all so informed with the spirit of liberty, that for its 
sake, they waged a seven years war with the mightiest nation of the 
earth, and founded the gRindest Empire upon which the sun ever 
shone, the centennial anniversary of whose independence we now 
celebrate. 

Not content with the achievement of independence, but urged 
on by a consciousness of their exalted destiny, tliey subdued the 
wilderness from the Coast to the Appalachian chain, then crossed ' 
that formidable and rocky barrier, and reared on its sunset side 
another Empire which now dominates the first. They still went 
on, urtilway to the Wet't, they encountered another mountain 
chain that seemed to defy iiU further progress, but that, too, was 
powerless to stay their onward march. They scaled its rocky 

steeps, crossed its lofty summits, and founded on the shores of the 
western ocean a thiid great Empire, destined, when the sceptre 
shall have been transferred from the nations of western Europe to 
America as it was Irom the nations of the East to them, and the 
ntiquary shall stand on a broken arch of London Bridge to view 



12 

the ruins of. St Paul's aud New York, and the other ciiies of the 
Atlantic coast shall have fallen to decay, to be the seat of the civi- 
lization of the world, until it shall be again transferred lO that new 
Empire which the same hardy and adventurou'* race have founded 
though not under American auspices, on the bosf>m of the Pacific. 
Althoush the various sections of this continent are now so inti- 
mutely connected by railroads and telegraphs that there is scarcely 
;i respectable village on the Atlantic coast that is not united by 
bands of iron and magnetic wires with the most remote town on 
the Pacific, so that a journey across the continent is a less under- 
taking than, was a visit of one of our pioneer i lanters to his nearest 
market town, and to transmit intellige.ice to the remotest corners 
of the earth an affair of U-ss time than it was Jor^Jiim to communi- 
cate with his nearest neighbor, still these marvols of science, these 
appliances of enlightenment iiflbrded no aid to the early colonist, 
nor do they now diicctly aid the front'eisman. Rai Iron ds and 
telegraphs always follow settlement and compar.i.ive civilizaiion 
never precede them. 

The colonist in a new country exiles himself from home and 
friends and all the comforts and amenities oi' social life, and 
buries himself in the wilderness where, by hardy toil, he carves out 
a home, and prepares the way for less adventurous spirits. H<*, 
in fact, immolates himself on tlie altar of piogross. It was such 
men who subdued this whole material continent, and infused the 
spirit ot freedom into, its political iusiituiious. It was of such 
men the hardy virtues ff our revolution were born. Jt was es- 
f-entially such men who founded tliis S^ate and county. 

In March 1634, Leonard Calvert, in virtue of a charter pre- 
pared for his brother George, but delivered the preceding year l)y 
Charles I. to his brother Cecilius, second llarou of Balitiniore, 
ascended the Potomac to the moutli of Piscataway Creek. There- 
he met with the Piscataways, the most powerful Indian tribe 
within the limits of his province, who, together with the Patuxenis, 
exercised sovereignty over all Southern and Central Mary- 
land. ^ fter a friendly and satisfactory conference with this peo- 
ple, he descended the river to tl e month of the St. Mary's, and 
there, on the 27th of the same month, purchased of the Yoa- 
comicos, a tribe tributary to the Piscataways, a village and the 
surrounding country for thirty miles. Here he founded a settle- 
ment, and in token of gratitude to tho Blessed Virgin, called it 
St. Mary's. This was the first European colony planted on the 
western shore of Maryland. There had bten four years previous 
to this a settlemont on Kent Island on the Eastern Shore. 

These colonists of St. Mary's respected the rights of the aborigi- 



13 

nal proprietor? of the soil; and acquired their land by legitimate 
purchase- And it may be here remarked, that iu all the subse- 
quent history of Maryland, no war of aggression was ever waged 
by her people aijainst the Indian?. They dwelt in peace and amity 
together, until the latter either emigrated to thi" ^-Vest, or lost by 
absorption tht ir identity as a people. There were during the pro- 
gress of the Settlement of the province some u important con- 
flicts with the Indians to repel the inroads of hostile tr bes from 
beyond her borders, but none tliat can be digniti'^d as wars. Indeed, 
Buch consideration had our fore-fathers for the rights of these peo- 
ple, that, when the Senecas, a tribe of the Six Nations, who had 
their home in the State of New York, invaded their territory un- 
der a doubtful claim of rii'ht to a portion of its soil, instead of re- 
senting the hostile incursion an I punishing the invaders, they 
appointed commissioners to settle the dispute, and purchased their 
alleged claim for three hundred poi nds sterling— this was in 1744. 

The infant colony, having respected the rights of the original 
owners of the soil, exercised the same justice and forbearance 
towards their European brethren who settled among them. It was 
there that religious freedom was first proclaimed. 

As was natural from such beginnings, the colony grew and pros- 
pered. Settlements first extended along the Potomac and Patux- 
ent, as the fine old colonial mansions shadowing their waters still 
attest. 

They soon reached the home of the Piscataways, yet no war en- 
sued; but that wild people induced by the gentle influences which 
surrounded them, embraced Christianity, and assumed the garb and 
customs of civilized life. 

'I he settlements still continued to grow and prosper, until, in 
1695, two new municipalities, the counties of Charles and Prince 
(ieorge's, were erected, the latter of which embraced all the terri- 
tory lying between the hither boundary of the former and the 
western limits of the piovinci\ The growth of settlement still 
went on until, in 1748, the coimiy of Frederick was erected, which 
embraced all the territory lying west of a line drawn from the 
mouth of Rock Creek through a portion of the District of Columbia, 
to the Patuxent river, which had up to that time been embraced 
within the county of Prince George's. 

This territory soon became too extensively peopled to remain 
under one municipal government, and was, in 1776, divided into 
three distinct municipalities— Frederick county constituting the 
central, Washington county the upper, and Montgomery county 
named in honor of that illustrious hero who so gloriously fell at 
Quebec the year previous, the lower division. 



14 

The manner of the ori^anization of oar coualy, I think, <{e3erve» 
more partkalar mention. 

It was as follows : On tlie Slat of An!j;us», 177G, Dr. Thomas 
Spripg Wootton, a nicinljcr of the State Conveiition of that year, 
(wliose horn cwas where Mr. Henry Ilurhy now lives,; dehveretl to 
Mr. President an onlinance for tiic division of Frederick county 
into three distinct and separate counties, which waa read and 
ordered to lie on the tible. 



II'' 



>3 



On the «5ih of September folluwing, jnst oue hundred years ago 
to-day, this ordinance was again called up and passed hy a Tery 
small majority. That portion of it which relates to M<mtgomery 
comity is in the following words : ' 7 ? to 

Resolved, That alter the first day of October next, such i.ait of 
the said county of Frederick a- is contained within the bounds and 
limits following, to wit: Beginning at the east side of the month 
of Rock Creek, on the Potomac river, and running thence with 
the said river to the mouth of Monofacy, then with a strag.it line 
ti» Par's Spring, from thence with the lines of the county to the 
beginning, shall be, and is hereby erected into a new county called 
Montgomery county. It will thus be seen that the true anniver- 
sary of this county as a separate municipality is the 'id of Dctoler, 
jind not the 6th of September. In the same, or in the early part 
of the succeeding year, what is now Rockville was selp.cted as r I e 
county seat. It was then but a small hamlet, consisting of Charles 
Huncerford's Tavern, {which is still standing and occupied by 
Mr-!. Susan Ru-sell, whose grand-fsither, Joseph Wilson, built and 
owned it); the Anderson house in which Miss Julia Anderson 
now lives, and one or two others. The old Court house was built 
shortly afterwards, and the first court held in it in 1779. On the 
3d day ot August, 1784, Wm. Prather W Allan s purchased the land 
around the court house, and immediately thereafter caused it to 
be laid off into streets and town lots by Col. .Archibald Orme, 
county surveyor, and called it Williamsburg. At the November 
session, 1801,, of the General Assembly of the State, an' act was 
passed, which, after reciting that the titles to these lots were un- 
certain because there was no record of the survey thereof made 
by Col. Orme, ere. ted the place into a town called Rockville, and 
appointed Commissioners to resurvey it. At the November session, 
1802 there was a supplemental act passed, and in 1803, the Com- 
missioners caused the resurvey and a plan of the town to be made 
by Wm. Smith, county surveyor, which is recorded in Liber L. of 
the Land Records of this county. It w. s at first contemplated to 
call the town Wattsville, but Watt's Branch being regarded as too 
insi-niiBcant a stream, 't was finally concluded to honor its mo.e 



15 

pretentious ucighl or, Ro^k Creek, and hence its name, Rockville. 

The old Hungcrford, or Russell house, is not only the oldest 
buildin : in the place, but also from its associations the object of 
greatest interest to th i antiqn iry. Mrs. Rich vrd Wootton . a sister- 
in-law of that Thomas S/rigg Wootton who moved the erection of 
the county, said she danced at a ball give i in it one hundred and five 
years ago. But a more important event o cuired there two years 
ater, to which I shall have occasion to refv.'r ia the caurse of my 
■narrative* 

The new county having been erected and furnished with a capi- 
tal, it soon l)ecame necessary to lay it offiuto precims, and in^l798j^ 
an act of assembly was passed to divide it into five election districts, 
which was affirmed in 1799, and in the same year Daniel Rointzell, 
Hezekiah Veitch, Thomas FletcLall, John A damson and Thomas 
Davis, were appointed conmiissioners, and marked out its present 
divisions. This completed the political and territorial organiza- 
tion of the c unty, but a movement is now on foot, I believe, to revise 
the work of these old worthies. 

The first court was held at the house ot Liionard Davis, still the 
memorable old Hungcrford Tavern, (only Leonard Davis had suc- 
ceeded Charles Hungerfordas host) on the 20th day of May, 1777. 
Present, the worshipful Charles Jones, Samuel W. Magruder, 
Elisha Williams, William Deakins, Richard 'J hompson, Jamea 
Offutt and Edward Burgess. Brook Beall, Clerk. 

Clement Beall, Sheriff. 

The first Register of Wills was Samuel West, who served until 
the close of 1777, when he was succeeded by Richard Wootton. 

Orphans' Courts and Registers of Wi Is were established in 1777 
These courts at first consisted of seven Justices of the Peace in the 
several counties, any three of whom constituted a quorum. 

The present system, except that the justices were appointive in- 
stead of elective, was established in 1790. 'J he first justices under 
the new system were Thomas Cramphin, jr., Richard Wootton and 
Wm. Holmes. The names of the justices who first served as Judges 
of the Orphans' Court under the old system, I have been unable 
10 find. There is no record of them in this county. 

The first settlements within the limits of the territory embraced by 
this county were made towards the close of the 17th century, some 
of the patents ante-dating 1700, but most of them being subse- 
quent to that period. 

I will here give the earliest patents in each neighborhood in the 

county, which were kindly furnished me by Mr. Wm. Grady, late 

county surveyor, and which I think, will be interesting, as show- 

ng the general progress of settlement to the northwestward, the 



16 

cour>o which it has uniformly taken in every State, community 
and town since the earliest rccordtd liistory. 

BERRY S DI82R1CT. 

"Girl's Portion, ''surveyed for Henry Darnell in 10S8. This tract 
embraces Mr. F. I*. Blair's liiuland the village of Sligo. 

'Hermitage," granted to William Josephs in 1689. This tract 
contains 3866 acres, and extend-; fiom Veirs' Mill to the intersection 
of the Rockville and Washiniiton Turnpike with the Union Turn- 
pike company's road; and from Rock Creik tothe i-oad leading from 
Sandy Spring to Wasiiington, at a corner of Jacob Kemp's land. 

"Joseph's Park," containi' g 4220 .•teres, was granted the same 
year to William Josephs. This tract lies south of the Hermitage 
and extends to the Districr line. It embraces Alfred Ray's land. 

"Charles and William," surveyed for Charles and William Beall 
in 1723. Jt embraces O. H. P. Clark's land. 

"Bradford's Rest and Resurvey," on the same were surveyed for 
Capt. John Bradford in 1713 and 1 728, respectively. These tracts 
contain 4992 acres, and extend on the east side of Rock Creek from 
the Hermitage. They embrace the lands of Wm. E. Muncaster, of 
the late Roger Brooke and Charles Abert. 

"Maiden's Fancy," surveyed for Neal Clark in the year 1700, 
lies on the Patuxent, in the south east corner of the county, and 
embraces the lands of Samuel and Benjamin Carr. 

"Bear Garden," surveyed for Thomas Wilcoxen in 1738, lies on 
the Patuxent at Snell's Briilge. 

"Addition to Charley Foust," granted to Major John Bradford 
in 1720, is the tract in which Sandy Spring stands. 

"Lay Hill," granted to James Beale in 1718, contains 1298 acres, 
and embraces Champagne's Crossroads, and the lands of the late 
G. W, Cashell, A.J. Cashell and Samuel Cashell. 

"Bachelor's Forest," granted to James Edmonston and James 
Beall in 1734. This is the land on which Muncaster's Mill and 
Higgins' Tavern stand. 

"Bcall's Christie'' and "Beall's Manor," the lands around Coles- 
ville,were patented in 1720. The village itself is of very recent date* 

CRACKLIN DISTRICT. 

'•Boardlcy's Choice," granted to Thomas Boardley in 1725, con- 
tains 1,000 acres, and embraces the Eiggs land near Brookeville, 

"John and Sarah," granted to John Philburn in 1726, is the 
land on which Unity stands. The village itself is of recent date. 

"Gold's Branch," surveyed for Richard Snowden in 1712, is a 
part of A. B. Davis' home farm, 

"Benjamin's Lot," granted to Benjamin Gaither in 1725 is near 
Triadelphia. » 



17 

"Brooke Grove," granted in 1745 to James Brooke, a deccndant 
of that Rob re lirooke, who founded a pro testant settlement of 
forty persons, includin;^ his wife Mary and ten children, at "Delia 
Brooke," on the Patuxent river, on the 20th June, 1G50. this 
tract contains 3154 acres, and embraces some of the finest farm 
around Brookeville, and the village itself, which was founded 
about 1780. 

"Charles and Benjamin," containing 2280 acres, was surveyed 
for Charles Beall in i7J8. Tiiis tract embraces the Waters land 
between Brookeville and Mechanicsville and the Episcopal Church 
at the 1 Iter place. 

"Turkey Thicket," granted to John Magruder in l7o6 Zadock 
Magrudf r's land is a part of it. 

"Benjamin's Square," granted to Benjamin Wallingforl in 174:>. 
This tract lies ne ir Goshen. 

"SpringGardeu." granted to Higison Belt in 1738. This tracu 
etubraces a part 'f Jam.-s vvilUams' land near Laytonsville. 

"Fellowship," surveyed for Nathan Wickham in 1723. Charles 
SalielPs laud is part of it. 

"Abel's Lev. Is," granted to Abel Brown in 1741, and "Moore's 
Delight,'' granted to Benjamin Penu in 1748, lie near Gol. Lyde 
Griffith's. 

"Park Plenty if no Thieves," granted to iSTathan Ward in 1753. 
This tract lies on tlie Patuxent river near Duvall's Old Mill. 

"Addition to Brooke Grove," surveyed for James Brooke in 1758, 
contains 7900 acres, and extends from T. J. Holland's farm, on 
Hawling's river, to about three miles northwest of Laytonsville, is 
about nine miles long, and embraces some of the most fertile farms 
in the county. 

James Brooke, after this addition to his grove, had llOGO acres 
granted by patent, and six thousand acquired by purchase, and 
owned at the time of his death upwards of 17,000 acres. 
BOCKVILLE DISTRICT. 

"Dann," surveyed for Thomas Brook in 1694, contained 3697 
acres, and lies west of Kock creek, and extends southward from 
William T. Dove's to Samuel Perry's land, and westward to in- 
clude the lands of the Wills.>ns Thomas Lyddane and Hance. 

"Clean Drinking," patented in :i700, embiaces the lands cf John 

Jones and others. 

"Friendship," surveyed for Col. Thomas Addis ai and Joseph 

Stoddard in 1711, contains 3124 acres. This laud extends from ;he 
District line to the old stone Tavern, and westward to the Poto- 
n:a3 river. Lying north of this, is anothtr "Friendship," contain- 
ing 1368 acres. This latter tract embraces the Lodge and Nailer 
lands. 



IS 

'•Contention," Rurveyed f r William Redman in 17i3, liese »t 
of 'Friendship." 

•Cli ales and Thomas.'' granted to Charles JJeall in 171(3, em- 
braces part of (ireonbury Watkins' 1 nd. 

"Huntington,'' f^raited to Thomas Fletchall in 1715, embraces 
part of Robert Dick's land on the old Georgetown road. 

''.Magruder's and HeuU's Honesty," contains 1720 acres, and was 
eur'/eyel in 1730 for Samuel Magruder and Charles Beall. Wdiiam 
Reading's land is a part of it. 

''Thompson's Ilopyard," surveyed for John Thompson in 1715, 
lies jibove and near the Great Falls of the Poromac. 

'•Dung Hill," granted to Walter Evans in 17 15, lies on the Po- 
toraa • river, at the mouth of Watt's Branch. 

"Constant Friendship," granted Joseph West and James Holm- 
Mid, in 17'2'2, lies near Rockville. Levi Viers' land was part of it. 

"Exchange and New Exchange Enlarged,'' surveyed for Arthur 
Nelson in 1720, conta'ns 1620 acres. Kockville stands on part of 
it. 

"Mill Land," surveyed for Edward Dawson in 1724. Judge 
Bouic's land is part of it. 

''Deer Park," granted to Ralph Crabb in 17*25. CJaithersburg 
stands on part of it. 

"The Joseph," surveyed for Joseph Wosi in 1723, bt-gins at 
Darnestown and crosses Muddy Branch. 

MEDLEY'S DISTBICT. 

"Conclusion," grant«d to Daniel Du i.aney in 1731. This tract 
em' races the lands of Juseph Dawson, Frederick Dawson, Col. 
Geo. W. Dawson and others — all fine farms. 

•"■Partnership," granted to Charles Diggs and John Bradford in 
1728, extends from Col. George Dawson's, about three miles to 
Samuel Darby's land, and etjibraces some of the best land in Med- 
ley's. 

"Abraham's Lot," granted Cornelius Etting in i732, lies on the 
Potomac river at the mouth of Broa^l run. 

•'Killmain," granted to Daniel Carroll in 1735, contains 1300 
acres, lies on the Conrad's Ferry road, and includes the lands of 
Lndowick Young's heirs. 

"John's Deligiit," surveyed for John Harriss in 1755. Conrad^* 
Ferry aMd.Martinsbuig are on this tract. 

••Forrest," granted lo Henry Wright Crabb in 1754, contains 
2078 acres, and embraces the town of Poolesville, the first house in 
which was budt by John Poole (the ancestor of the Poole family 
who are now so numerous in that vicinity), between 1790 and 1800. 
The rest of the place is of recent date. 



19 

*'Hanovei,'' granted to Dr. Patrick Hepburn in 1723, contains 
1723 acres, and lies nt-ar Beallsville. 

'•Jeremiiih's Park," granted to Jeremiah Hiys in 1752. Har s- 
ville, wliich is of modem orij^in, is on this tract. 
CLARKSBUBG DISTRICT, 

"Chestnut Ridge," granted to George Buchanan, in 1732 Ger- 
mantown station is on it, 

"Ralto," granted George Scott in 1740, embraces part of Horace 
Waters' land. 

'Grandmother's Good VVill," granted to John Cramptonin 1741, 
adjoins George W. Israel's land. 

•"Cow Pasture," granted to Henry Griffith in 1761, is near Clarks- 
burg, the lirst house in which was built by Mr. John 0. Clark, 
grandfather of Mr. Leonidas Willson, and is the same house in 
which the latter so long and successfully conducted the business of 
merchandising, and is now occupied by Mr. Alonzo Sellman for 
the same purpose. It was in the garden of Mr. SchoU, a little 
east of this vilhige, that the now world-renowned Catawba grape 
was first discovered. 

''Very Good," granted to John Dickinson in 1755, and "Bite the 
Biter," granted Samuel Saffell in 1756, are both n<ar the village of 
Damaecus. 

"Silent Valley," granted to Ellsworth Beane in 1756, lies east of 
Damascus. 

"Trouble Enough Indeed," granted to Thomas Whitten in 1761, 
contains 2492 acres, and lies between Damascus and Claiksburg. 
Mr. King's disrillery is on it. 

The first settlements were made on Rock Creek as far upas Rock- 
ville, commencing in 1688. The next on the Patuxent as high up 
as Snell's Bridge. The next west of Rock Creek to the Potomaic ; 
and about tlie same period the settlements east of Rock creek to the 
Patuxent. Next the tide slowly extended up the Patomac and 
Patuxent. The older grants north of Rockville are further apart. 
The flat red lands in Medley's seem next to have attracted attention, 
and from thence the settlements extended towards Barnesville. From 
Brookeville they extended towards Laytonsville and Damascus, and 
thence across towards Clarksburg, and on towards Hyattstown. 

The grants of land from Rockville towards Poolesville, and from 
Brookeville towards Damascus, and thence towards Clarksburg 
and Hyattstown range from 1740 to 1775; some few are older. By 
1776 all considerable vacancies seem to have been taken up, and 
nearly all the grants by patent made after that period are resur- 
veys on other tracts and small vacancies. 

The nearest Indians to our county were the Nacostines or Ana- 



20 

« ( sliiiiis, a r Imtjin tiihi of tin- PiscatawayjJ. wli so Schem held 
liis • (iiirt at tliu nioiiih ( 1" ihe Anacosta river, llie present site of 
V^ ashirii;t u- The foiintry in their itiinieciiatc vicinity \va- suttletl 
in lOVtS, by a colony of Scotch rei'ugees, who, despairin: of the foi- 
tni)<'> ( f the house of Stuart, took rcfujie in this province. Fruiu 
tliis coh)ny sprang nuuiy < f our leading faniihes, their naine> at- 
testing; their .Scotch di'scent. 

The Six Nations, as I have before stated, claimed titie to a por- 
tion of this province, and, no doui.t, gave iian es to the Seneca, the 
Monocacy, and the Tuscorora, hut had no permanent residence 
with II our borders. 

Tlie whole extent of our teiritory was, at the date of its Srt le- 
nient, densely wooded. There was i o open or prairie land. Tlie 
i oloii ac was filled with fish, and the surrounding forests abounded 
ill all manlier of game. 

Henry Meet, who, in 1025. nine years ijrior to the settlement of 
St. N ary's, asctnded the Potonnc to the head of navigation, and 
\\ ho sufl'ejed a long captivity among the Indians of the Upper Po- 
tomac, gives in his journal the f llowing description of the country: 
'•Monday, the '25th of .Jane, we set sail for the town of Tohoga, 
■where we came to anchor two lea-ues short of the falls. This 
).lace, without al! question, is the most pleasant and healthful place 
in all this couutry, and most convenient for habitation: the air 
tempei'ate in Sumner ami not violent in Winter. It aboundeth 
with all manner of f sh. The_ Indians in one night will commonly 
catch thirty sturgeons in a place where the r ver is not above twelve 
fathom broad. And for deer, buHalocs, bears and turkeys, the 
woods do swam with them; but above this place the country is 
rocky and mountainous like Ca-iad'." No one at all familiar with 
the country w II have any difiiculty in 'ecogniz"g in Tohoga the 
site of Geo getown; or i the phice ''whrre the river is not above 
Iwflv. iluhoin broad/' the narr w.~ immediately below tlie Little 

Falls and in the neighborliood of tlu; lii idge. 

besides detr, butialoes, bears and turkeys, this country also 
abounded in wolves; fer as late as 1797 an act of assembly was 
passed, (for this county) offering a reward of thirty dollars for the 
liead of ever}' wolf over six months old, and four dollars for every 
one uu'ler that age. The first settlers speedily made clearings in 
the forest and reduced the land to cultivation ; the remunerative 
prices obtai e'i for tobacco, (which c uld be nowhere else so suc- 
cessfully grown a- in these nevv lan.'s) stimulating their enterprise. 
They, therefore, multiplied :ind prosp red, and nothing occurrred 
•o mar the harmony of tlieir lives, or disturb the even tenor of their 
way, or of historical interest participated in by our people until the 
French war, an 1 the dt'feat of General I'raddock in 1755, and the 



21 

invasion of the western frontier of the province by the French and 
Indians from Fort Du Quesno, when a force from the lower district 
of Frederick county, Cnow Montgomery) under Col. Eidgely and 
Capt. Alexander Beall, wont to the rescue and afforded protection 
to the st'ttlers. General Braddi ck marched through this county 
on his ill-fated expedition, and encamped for one night within the 
pres-ent limits of Rockville. After the excitement attending the 
French and Indian war had subsided, nothing of military or politi- 
cal interest o curred within our borders until the convulsions im- 
med ately preceding the Revolution. 

A\ hen the news reached our people that the I'.ritish had blocka- 
ded the port of Foston, a meeting was called at the famous old Hun- 
gel ford T.vern, the proceedings of which are as follows : 
FREDERICK COUNTY, 3ID. 

RESOLUTIONS . 

At a meeting of a respectable and numerous body of the freemen 
of the lower part of Fiedorick county, at Charles Hungerford'.s 
Tavern, on Saturday, the 11th day of June 1774, 

MR. HENRY GRIFFITH, MODERATOR. 

l^^ Resolved nnanimoushj, That it is the opinion of this meet- 
ing, that the town of Boston is now suffering in the common cause 
of America. 

2nd. Resolved unanimously, That every legal and constitutional 
measure ought to be used by all America for procuring a repeal 
of the act of Parliament for blocking up the harbour of Boston. 

■ird. Resolved unanimously^ That it is the opinion of this meetiufr 
that the most effectual merus for i he securing of American freedom 
will be to break off all commerce with Great Britain and the West 
Indies until the said act be repealed, and 1 1 e rigiit of taxation giv- 
en up on permanent princM les. 

J^th. liesohed unanimously, ' hat Mr. Henry Gritbth, Dr. Thomas 
Sprigg\^ ootton, Nathan Maj ruder, Evun Thomas, Richard Brooke, 
Richard Thomas. Zadok Magruder, Dr. William Baker, Thomas 
Cramphin, jr. and Allen Bowie be a committee to attend the Gen- 
eral Committee at Annapolis and of correspondence for the lower 
part of Frederick county and th it any six of them shall have pow- 
er to receive and communicate intelligence to and from the neigh- 
boring Committees. 

■'th. Resolved unanimously, Th it a copy of these our sentiments 
be immediaely transmitted to Annapdis anl inserted in tlie Mary- 
land ( azette. 

Archibam) (rme, Clerk. 

Frederick county ptoper did not call a similar meeting until the 
2(lth. of June, nine days later. 

The committee which met >t Annajiolis appointed Matthew 
Tilghman, Thorn s Johnson, Robert Goldsborough, William Paca 



22 

and Samuel (base, members of the SUte r^ommittec of saety aiwi 
eorrcs. onfJeoce. 

When two battaliQns w re required from this State for tlu- relief 
of Bi».<ton, they were both selecte I Irom Frederick county, and 
from the number of ollicers from ALmlj^omery who survived the 
revolution and joined tlie Cincinnati Society at its dosi", I believe 
a large portion not only of those troops, but of 'he entire Mary- 
land line, Were from this county. Tlic names of the members of 
the Cincinnati Society were, C. Riclvetts, Liemenant; Lloyd Heall, 
Captain; Samuel 15. Beall, Lieutenant; lienry Gaither, Captain- 
Richard Anderson, Captain; James McCubbin Lkigan, Captain; 
Eichard Chiderson, Captain; David L' nn, Captain. In nddiiion 
to the members of that Society w ere Colonels Charles Greenbujy 
Griffith and Richard Brooke; Captain^ Edward Burgess and Robert 
Briscoe. Lieutenants Greenbury Gaither, John Gaither, Elisha 
Beall, Elisha Williams, John Lynn aud John Conrts Jone^*. En- 
signs, Thomas Edmonson, John Griffith and William Lamar, aud 
Quarterm ister Richard Thompson, all of whom I know to have 
been from thirxounty. 

The valor and achievements of those officers and the men wliom 
they commanded are too well known to history to need even a pass- 
ing comment here. The Maryland line is a synonym for valor. 

We also fnruished troops for the war of 1812, the Floii'Ia war, 

the Mexican war and the late war between the sections, in the first 

of which Maj. ('corge Peter was quite a distinguished officer, and 

in the last we had almost as large a force in the field as in. the first 

revolution; and among all the officers in the Confederate service, 

none was more distinguished for capacity, efficiency and valor, than 

the lamented (ol. Eidgly Brown, Col. Elijah Yeirs White, Col. 

Benjamin S. White and Col. Gus. Dorsey. Bolides these were 

Captains Thomas Griffith, Eestus Griffith, George W. Chiswell 

and James Anderson and Lieutenant Edward Chiswell, Surgeon 

Edward Wootton, and a host of other officers, non-commissioned 

officers and privates, all of revolutionary decent and who, whether 

in a good or bad cause, illustrated the valor of the race and well 

mahitained the reputation of the old Maryland line. 

So from the firtit French and Indian war upon our borders to 
the late sectional struggle, onr people re>ponded with alacrity to 
what they conceived to be the call of military duty. Their hearts 
ever glowed with the fire of patriotism. 'J'he members from this 
county to the State convention of 1770, were Thomas Sprigg Woot- 
ton, Jonathan Willson, William Bayly, jr. and Elisha Williams. 

The following are the names of the gentlemen from this county 
who have at various periods served in the Federal Congress : 
General Jeremiah Crabb, who, at the close of the Revolution, 



23 

received a commisskm as General from General Washington, and 
was em loyed against the wliiskey insurr ctionists ip I'eniisylvania, 
lie wa< a member of one of the first Congresses:. Patrick Magriw 
■der, Thomas Plater. Phil, Barten Key, Alexander Contee Hanson, 
George Peter, George C. Washingrton and Ritjhard J. Bowje who 
has also held th position of Chief Judge of the Gouri, of Appeals 
of Maryland, and is now o e of the Associate Justices of tliat court, 
and Chief Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit of this State VVe 
have furnished one Cabinet Minister to the general Government, 
Hon, Montu'omery Blair, and two Pre Idents of the Maiylmd 
Senate, Benjamin S, Forrest and William Lingan Gaither. 

The members from ihis coun'y . t the Reform State Convention 
of 1850 aud 1851 were Dr, Washington Waters, J.mes W. Ander- 
son, John T5re\\er, Allen B.wie Davis, .<nd J(;h!i Mortimer Kil- 
gour; of the State Convention of 1864 Dr. Edmond P. Duvall, 
Thomas Lansdale and George Peter; and of the Convention of 
1867, Dr. NIcho as Brewer, Dr. Washington Duvall, Samnt-l Riggs 
of R. and Greenbury M. Watkins. 

The oldest church in the county was Rock Cre.k Church, and 
1 have been informed that Prince George"'s Parish, in which it was 
located, and which now t-rabraces but a small territory arouud 
Rockville, at one time extended over a porti- n of Prince George's 
coimty, what is now the District of Columbia, and the whole of 
Montgomery and Frederick counties; and that its Recti-r was sup- 
ported by the compulsory tithe system. Parson Williamson, who 
built the fine old mansion of Hayes, formerly the seat of the 
Dunlops, and now the property of Mr. William Laird, was the 
Rector in charge at the breaking out of the revolutionary war. 
Happil}* at the present day, we have churches supported by volun- 
tary contributions, embracing all the leading christian denomina^ 
tions at every villiage, hamht and cross Toads in the county. 

During the Colonial period there were no institutions of 
learning (or adv.mct-d students within our borders, and those who 
desired that their sons should receive more liberal instruction than 
the common schools afforded sent them abroad to be educated. 

The first .-chool of any reputation in our county « as a seminary 
tor young men in the Wallace or Magmder neigliborhood, estab- 
lished toward the close of the levolutionary war by Mr. James 
Hunt, a Presbyterian clergyman fr .m Philadelphia, on his farm 
called "Tusculum," now memorable as the Alma Matt-r of William 
Wirt. It was there that he was prepared, as far as scholastic 
training could prepare him, for t!i;it brilliant career which has 
made his nam", one of the most illM>trious iu American annals. 

Many ot my own family of ♦^hat general on were educated there, 



24 

and traditi .ns and le:;eiids. . o nect' d with them, too sacred for the 
publif oar still cUisirr a'o.ud the spot— wooel thitlier l)y ti.ose 
hallowed associations. Ini3>elfhnve vi^ted tin- .sit.' of that old 
Academy, and boncath iis "sh: dcs, i ondered o'er the past/- The 
Roman Tusculuin has for nie a s arccly nuire classical si,u;nificance. 
The next classical in titution establisned in this county was the 
Roc ville Academy, chartered in 18( 9; and t' e next, the Brook- 
ville Academy, chartered in 1814. 

Both ot these institutions are handsomely endowed by the state, 
and have been in sucessful operat on evi r since their foundation; 
and the refinin<j: iin I el, vating inthience they have exerted ui>on 
the youth .four county can scarcely be appreciated. t -hould 
be a source of cong atulat on to us, too, that this inlUieuce has not 
been contined within oir own limits, b it has extenltd thro ighout 
the length and breadth of the land. 

Many private institu ins of learning, of efficiency and reputation 

have since been established at Rockville, fJrookville, Sandy Sj^iings 

Damestown and Poole.-»ville, and our public school system is the v<-iy 

best that could be devised. luvo un ary ignorance is no longer 

possible, and ignorance o' every kind is beuig rapidly eradicated. 

The first public roads nient oned in our county are the roads 
^om Frederick to G-eorgetovvn, and that tVom the mouth of Watt's 
Branch to the same place, pr )nded foi- in the loan granted to 
the several counties for road purposes by the iiot oi' assembly 
of 3 874. 

The next mention is of the road from Frederick to (^eori'etown, 
the road from Georgetown to the mo th of Monocacy. and from 
the mouth of Monocacy to .V'ontgomery Co irt House, in the act 
of assembly of 1790, to straighten and amend the public roads in 
the several counties. The planters at that early period did noc 
use wheeled vehicles, but attached a sapling to each end of a 'o- 
bacco hogshead, and thus formed a pair of shifts, by which they 
hauled the hogshead for shipment to Kui ope, to lUadensbarg,George- 
towu,Elk Eidge,Sau'ly Springs and I]altimore,and ])rought b:ick their 
sui plies of groceries and other necessaries on the backs of horses. 
They even brought their annual supply of herring and shad in this 
manner. Their clothing and bed hnen were cheitly woven from 
home grown fl.ix and wool. Their personal travel was done ex- 
clusively on horseback. 

Road;; after this [xriod, too, rapidly multiplied. The turn- ike 
from Rockvide to Georgetown, the first paved road in the county, 
was originally chartered in 1806; but was actually constructed un- 
der an amendatory act, containin ^ the ch ef provisions of its pres- 
ent charter, passed in 1817. I'helJii.n P irnjjike r ad, leading 



25 

from Washington to Brookville, was chartered in 1849. It has 
recently built several branch roads. 

The Washington, Colesville and Ashton Turnpike road was char- 
tered in 1S70. 

The Conduit road from Georgetown to the Great falls of the Poto- 
mac hasjust be^n completed. It follows the line of the Washington 
Aqueduct, and crosses Cabin John Branch on a Bridge of a single 
arch of the longest span in the world. This Aqueduct is also a 
Montgomery work, having its source and almost its entire line 
within the limits of the county, and its permissive right from the 
State of Maryland. 

In 1784, the old Potomac Canal Company was charted. Genl. 
"Washington was its tirst President, and assisted in person in the 
survey of the river. The object of the company was by means 
of locks and dams and short canals to render the upper Potomac 
navigable. 

The design did not provu feasible. 

The work, however, was so far proceeded with as to afford a 
precarious navigation at high water for batteaux, or flat bottom- 
ed boats, from Cumberland to Georgetown. But the route was ex- 
ceedingly dangerous, and ^reat numbers of boats were wrecked every 
spring. The people of Cooney, a settlement on the Virginia shore 
of the Potomac at and around its Little or Lower Falls near whose 
territory was the home of my maternal ancestors, used frequently 
to laughingly tell me that these wrecks once aiforded them a bounti- 
ful harvest, and that the tlour obtained from them, together with 
the fish taken from the river, were their only means of support. 

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which succeeded the old Poto- 
mac Canal, was first projected in 182.3 by the states of Maryland, 
Virginia and Pennsylvania and the National Government. It was 
chartered by the state of Virginia in 1824; but its organization was 
not comple'ed until 1828. It is one of the greatest works of in- 
ternal improvement in the Country and of inestimable value to 
our people, extending as it doe^, along our entire westein border, 
and offering cheap transpotatioa to some of the richest sections of 
our county. 

The Baltimore and Ohio railroad, the pioneer of all the great 
railroad systems of the world, was chartered in 1827. Although 
this is not strictly a Montgomery work, and nowhere touches oui 
territory,- yet as it, together with its Washington Branch, skirts 
our entire eastern and northern frontier and approaches very near- 
ly to our western confines, and is of such vital importance to so 
large a portion of our people, I think a statistical sketch of our 
county woulJ be incomplete without its mention. 



26 



'I lie Metropolitan lirancli.of tlier'altiinore and Ohio railroad was 
chartered in 18(55, and completed and operated iu the spring of 1873. 
This road runs diagonally through our county from its norih-west 
corner to its south eastern extremity, und it is available to 
neaily every section of it. When its Hanover Switch Branch is 
constructed, there will he no neighborhood in otir county, wliich 
is not within easy reach of either a ra Iroad or a canal. 

All important passenger trains of the Baltimore & Ohio Com- 
pany, pass over the Metropolitan Branch, and thu< afford almost 
Unprecedented facilities to our people for personal travel. The first 
ncwspiper in this county was established in 1806, and was edited 
by Matthias E, Burgess. . 

11 le Mougomery Agricultural Society was organized in 1844. 

The Mntual Fire Insurance Company of Montgomery County 
was chartered in 1848. 

The Sandy Spring Saving's Bank was chartered in 1868. 

The Rockville .Vtutual Building Asscociation, the first institution 
of the kind in the county, was chartered in March 1873- 

There are circulating libraries at Brookville, Sand}' Spring, 
Rockville, Poolesville and Darnestown . 

The population of this county was in 

TOTAL. 

1790 18003 

1800 15058 

1810 17980 

1820 16400 

1830 19816 

1840 15406 

1851' 158G0 

1860 18322 

1870 205G3 

Wc have passed through three distinct phases of civilization since 
the settlement of this county, or rather, we have passed through 
two and are jnst now cniering upon the third. 

First were the old tobacco planters with their baronial estates, 
and armies of slaves. They felled the native forests and planted 
the virgin soil in tobacco and Indian corn. This did very well so 
long as tliere was timber for the axe, and new land for the hoc and 
those old lords of uianors were happy. They feasted, and frolicked 
and fox hunted, and made the most of life. Those aie what are 
known as "the good old times." 

But in less than a century after this system of denuding and 
exhaustion began, there were no more forests to clear and no more 
new lands to till. Then succeeded the period of old fields, and de- 
caying woim fences, and mouldering homesteads. This saddest 



WHITE. 


COLORED 


11679 


6324 


85U8 


6550 


9731 


8249 


9082 


7318 


121u3 


7713 


8766 


6690 


9435 


6125 


11349 


6973 


13128 


7434 



27 

condition of our county had reached its climax about 1840, at the 
census of which year our population was at its minimum. 

I myself can well remember when the lands bordering the Eock- 
villc and (I'eorgetown Turnpike, the only paved road in the county, 
were, with the exception of Robert Dick's farn) end one or two 
others, but a succession^of un n- osed old fields. 

During this period there was a constant stream of emigration 
from the county; some going to the cotton fieldsofthe south, but most 
to the fertile new lands of of Kentucky and Missouri. Few enter 
prising young men settled on their fathers'' farms. Nor were they 
to blame. The land woidd no longer yield its increase, and they 
liad no means of renovating tlie soil. Montgomery land had be- 
come a synonym for povert}'. I'his was not however universally 
true. The red lands of Medley's, and those around Brookville and 
in the F'riends settlenent at Sandy Spring, and on Hawling's riv- 
er, with an occasional farm in[other sectiocs,[^had retsiined com 
parative fertility. 

That emigration, however, was not in vain. It added strength 
and intelligence t'> that movement, which, from the first settle- 
ment of the country, has ever been in prrgress from the Atlantic 
to the Pacific, and furnished representative men to other States. 

The Lamarsof the South, who have now one noble representative 
in the United States Sen.ite, and the grand father of Thomas Ben- 
ton of Missouri, were from this county. 

The late senators, Edwards of llUnois, and Davis of Kentucky, 
and that brilliant commoner, Proctor Knott, besides a host of 
others who have fillea distinguished positions at the bar, on the 
bench, and in every representative capacity throughout the Wes-t- 
ern States, were natives of' ur soil. 

The society of I'Mi-nds in the neighborhood of Sandy Spiing, who 
formed their settlement in the course of the decade tirecedin? and 
foUowinc' the of the 18th. cencury, and who at every period 

of our history have done so mnch to promote the material develop- 
ment, and intellectual advaiicemtnt of our county, first abandoned 
the destructive s-ystem during the last quarter of the last century, 
probably induced thereto by the change then made in the character 
of their labor. 

The same society about i845, or perhaps a few years earlier, in- 
troduced into this county the old Cliinchi Island Peruvian Gu- 
ano. 

Its effect wasjnagical. It had the properties of Aladin's lamp. 

No sooner were our people made awaie that by the application 
of this new fertilizer to their old worn out lands, they could be 
made to produce remunerat.xe crops of cereals and grass, than 



28 

they turned to their cultivation with the wonted energy of the race. 

This industry was greatly promoted by the Criaean war, which 
caused a material enhancement in the prices of all kinds of farm 
products. From this epoch may be dated the cereal growing pe- 
riod. 

New post-and-rail fences replaced the old worm ones, old build- 
ings were|renovate<l and new ones erected, and our fields teemed 
witli bountiful harvests. 

The decade from 1850 to 1860 was one of unrivalled prosperity 
to our people. 

Then came the struggle between the sections with all its blight- 
ing and devastating horrors. Our young men again sought the 
tented field. The business of fanning was in many localities sus- 
pended, fences were destroyed and farms laid waste by the marching 
and counter-marcbing of armies, and the general ravages of war. 

During this contest slavery was abolished, and at its close, we 
entered upon the third era of our existence — the free labor period. 

Our young men returned to their homes, with muscles hardened 
and energies quickened by their mjirtial experience. They accept- 
ed with cheerfulness the new order of things, and fully alive to 
the kindly properties of their native soil, and acquainted with 
the means of rendering it productive, went to work with a will, and 
already nearly every vestige of that unfortunate struggle has been 
effaced ,• and now, with a larger population, we are in a more ad- 
vanced state of enliglitenment, and material prosperiry than evar 
before. Our buildings are better, our fences better, our churches 
handsomer, more numerous and more largely attended; our school- 
houses greatly multiplied and of superior construction, and our 
school system more thorough and efficient than any which preceded 
it. And we will go on improving. 

Since the opening of the Metropolitan Branch of the Baltimore 
and Ohio Railroad, half a million of dollars ha* been annually ex- 
pended by our people in the purchase of lime, bone-phosphates and 
other fertilizers of a kindred character, resulting in the production 
of from eighteen to thirty bushels of wheat, and from forty to 
fifty bushels of Indian corn, to the acrr. This gives employment 
to at least twenty-five mills, located on the various streams in our 
county, several of wliich are merchant mills. Besides this, a large 
quantity of grain is annually ex|)orted in an unmanufactured state. 

Market gardening and fruit growing, too, are becoming exten- 
sive industries here ; and can nowhere else be more successfully pros- 
ecuted ; our soil yielding abundantly, and of the best quality, all 
the vegetables and fruits common to a temperate climate. Wine 
production is also growing into quite a business, and cannot fail 
to prove successful, as our county is the home of many varieties 



29 

of the wild grape and the native soil of the Catawba. These va- 
rious industries must f^om plac^i oar people in the very van of Ag- 
ricultural progress. 

We have purely local advantages, too, which will promote and 
accelerate the march of improvement. 

The Great Falls of the Potomac is the largest available water- 
power in the world, and its development and utilization for manu- 
facturing purposes, for which I understan 1 a responsible company 
with a large capital has recently been organized, cannot fail to 
eventuate in the growth of a considerable town at that point. 

The increase in population and commercial importance of Balti- 
more, our own magnificlent city, connected as we are with her by 
her great railway, must surely be felt here. But above all the over- 
shadowing influence of the National Capitol, which over-ha lows 
b;it to bles? thjs most favored s^ctioi of o ir land, must, in time, 
make this count}' all that its most ardent friends could dare to hope 
or wish. And this beautiful tiwn of Rockville, re-created a few 
years ago by Judge Boiiic, who gave it life and a charter, and 
which has already nobly entered upoa its career .of improvement, 
will at the Centennial Anniversary of this Celebration be a subur- 
ban city, its streets shadowed by palatial mansions, its environing 
hills crowned with splendid villas, the homes, let us trust, of men 
alive to the grand traditions of their forefathers, and imbued with 
the loftiest spirit of patriotism— a fre^ and virtuous people. 



Note. — On page 26 of this book Mr. Anderson refers to the Mont- 
gomery Agricultural Society. John P. C. Peter was the first Presi- 
dent; Allen Bowie Davis, second; Robert P. Dunlap, third; Joseph 
H. Bradley, who held the Society together during the war and re- 
organized it at the close, fjurtli ; and Elisha J. Hall, tne present 
incumbent, fifth. Each of these gentlemen are remarkable for their 
kind and genial natures and irreproachable characters ; and are 
worthy of the cor.fideuceof their fellow-citiz-^ns, having held mmy 
offices in their gift. 

Wm. H. Farquhar, Esq., so prominent in the Educational Inte- 
rests of the County, also deserves honorable mention in its history. 



After music bv the band, Mr. Henry Clay Hallowell, a son of 
Mr. Benjamin Hallowell, of Sandy Spring, read an admirable poem 
wiiich was ordered to be printed in the memorial phamplet of the 
Centennial. 



CENTENNIAL ODE. 



BY IIEXKY C. IIALLOWELI. 



An hundrod yesirs! And Nature never old, 
S<;ill, day by day, ordeis her myriad works. 
The sun rolls on in flaming splendor, from 
Air and earth and water, calling forth the 

Innumerable mysteries of life; 
The moon gilds grassy slope and wild ravine 
And restless sea; All the stars of Heaven 
Rise and set and rise again; Rivers flow, 
Bringing the drift and pebbles from the far 
Snow-mantled Mountains; Ocean's bossom 

swells 
And sinks; The seasons change; And all 

moves on 
As in the years gone by. 
* A Century, 
In the long ages of Creation's course, 

Is but the flash of passing bird, the swing 

Of pendulum, the ripple of a wave. 

Ten thousand thousand years has N'ature's force 

Transformed the elements, and carrying on 

A vast, diversified, ordained plan, 

Prepared this home for occupation; 

Has embellished it with beauties countless 

As thy glittering sands on Afric's desert. 

And still through ages numberless to come 

"Will silent, slow, unerring energy 

Work out new lovliness for coming man. 

Wild hurricanes will sweep o'er earth: her face 

Will seem all scarred and torn and bleeding; 

To the imperfect vision Chaos reigns : 

Yet all is part of one grand scheme for good. 

As earth puts on her fairest robe of green. 

Bedecked with jewels, after summer storm , 

But where are those who on the day which we. 
With pati-iot instincts, celebrate, fulfl'led 
Their varied duties! The v< nerable 



31 

Sires long since have rested from their labors; 
The stalwart men and noble mothers gave 
Their life-work to their kind, and sank to sleep: 
Tiie babe became a busy boisterous boy, 
Or romping girl with merry sparkling eye, 
And by degrees assumed the cares of life, 
And toiled, and mourned, and smiled, then it too slept. 
All who looked abroad that day on Nature, 
Kow rest beneath the swelling grassy waves 
Of their Just home. 

But yet to us they live! 
Man passes to his rest and seems to die 
And be forgotten, but his deeds remain. 
The learned tell us that there is no waste 
Of force in Nature's wise ecouomy- 
That every motion is but vital power 
Coeval with the origin of tljings. 
So every act of kindness, every word 
Of love, each gentle ministering to 
The wants and pxins and sorrows of our kind, 
Lives in a gentler race, a nobler line^ 
A virtuous and chivalric father, 
A mother true to noble womanhood, 
Leave in successive ages far remote 
Traces ot goodness and undying worth. 
No life so humble but it makes its mark 
For good or ill, but helps to shape in slight 
Degree, the form and manners of the age, 

^ / CD 7 

As grain by grain the tiny insect rears 
Tlie coral continents in troidc seas. 

What is the lesson then for us to Ijarn, 
In looking through the long array of years 
That stretch in hazy distance down the past! 
1^ it not to gird the armor of true 
Manhood, energy and faith upon us, 
Not satisfied to idly drift along 
The stream of life, but taking up our work 
Acknowledge each his debt to country, race? 
^obly we commemorate the virtues 
Of ancestral worth, by honest actions, 
By elevated thoughts, by purer lives, 
By gentle courtesy, by liberal deeds, 
By earnest trust in virtue, valor, truth. 



32 

Altho' at times the out look o'er the woild 
Is darkened by the prevalence of wrong ; 
Altho' the anxious heart grows faint and sick 
AVhile waiting the approach of brighter day ; 
Altho' the lover of his race well nigh 
Despairs of man's regeneiation ; yet 
As certain as the light of coming dawn 
Is progress to a higher, better life. 

He who has watched from lofty mountain peak 
The eddying of the mist that shiouds the vale, 
Knows that its tossings mark a plastic power 
That soon shall mould to drifting, tleecy clouds, 
The exhalations from themarshj- shore ; 
Disclosing cities fair, and rural homes. 
And rivers flowing, like a silver thread. 
Mid landscapes green, dotied with wa\ing woods ; 
So shall the light of coming ages show 
Beneath the faults aid errors of to-day, 
A glorious heritage of Truth and liood. 

The past retiirus no morel With Hope and Trust 
We' face the future, striving for the best. 
And so we offer to the coming years. 
The era that begins to-day, our Hymn. 

Hail! Oh new and happy time! 

Welcome to this world of ours! 
Welcome to the Winter's rime! 

Welcome to the Summer flowers! 

Tho' no mortal eye may scan 

All the th leads of joy and sorrow, 

That diversify thy I'lan 

As thougrcetest each to-morrow; 

Tho' the eyes that sparkle now. 

Ere thy close may shut foiever, 
Tho' the fair, the manly brow. 

Gain the wreath that fadeth never; 

Calmly in this thought we'd rest 
While we humbly give thee greeting — 

All is ordered for the best, 
Thus the woff of life completing. 

As the ages roll away, 

Other forms in turn will meet thee, 
Fairer scenes, a brighter day, 

iSTobler races still will gr^et thee! 



33 

Mr. Davis introducedji he venerable R. R. Waters, a native of 
Montgomery, who was a soldier in the defence of Baltimore at the 
battle of North Point. Mr. Waters made some brief remarks pay- 
ing a tribute to Key the author of the Star Sjiangle Banner, and 
was warmly applauded. An intermission at 1 } P. M. was taken for 
l.mcheon and on reassembling at 2^ P. M. the exercises were con- 
tinued. 

ADDBESS OF HON. BICHABDlBOWIE. 



Friends and fellow citizens: In every age, among all civilized 
nations, the popular heart has longed to express by public demon- 
strations, its gratitude for inestimable benefits conferred by its an- 
cestor?, and its admiration of their luroic achievements. 

The Romans, every 110 year?, celebrated games for three days, 
and three nights, successively, in acknowledgement of the safety of 
the Republic. 

fleralds proclaimed, "Cowrenite ad ludos spectandos, quos nee spec- 
taverit quis quam, nee spectaturus est.'''' 

The Jews hallowed every fiftieth year. The trumpet sounded 
a jubilee, giving rest to the Earth, liberty to the slave, and restor- 
ing to every debtor his former possession, 

Tliese gr^t peoples, the one which taught the unity and spirit- 
uality of the Godhead, and destroyed idolatry; the other, which 
recognized the right of the people to make their own laws, and the 
equality of all citizens before the law, were types of all that is-^reat 
and glorious in theocratic, or hiiuan government. 

The pui'pose of this celebration is not to cherish State or Coun- 
ty pride; to pander to sectional or sectarian prejudices; but to 
make devout acknowledgement to the Almighty who lead us 
through the perils and the storms of the past eentur3% to the pres- 
ent enioyment of prosperity and peace. 

It is prompted by a filial and patriotic desire to re call the char- 
acter and conduct of our Ancestry; to review their deeds; to emulate 
Aheir example; preserve their principles; and perpetuate the insti- 
tutions they bequeathed io,us;-like 'Old Mortality,^ to renew the in- 
scriptions on the monuments of those who--e deeds live afnr them. 

The theme of our consideration has, in many of its general feat- 
ures, been the engrossing subject of thought and declamation; not 
only in^every recurring annual celebration of our National Indepen- 
dence, but especially at this, its Centennial, by the most gifted Or- 
ators and Poets. 

Although, as citizens of the United States, we may glory in every 
action which redounded to the success of the cause of "self-gov- 
ernment and civil and Rehg'ons Liberty;" yet,our sphere now is more 



34 

huiuhle, but a dearer one. It is to trace the course, the motives, 
uud the acts of our imuiediate forefathers in tlie hour of trial, beibre 
victory had perched upon their bauiieis, or crowned Heads liad 
become their allies aud friends. 

However wise aud prophetic her policy, the participation of 
Maryland in the Revolutionary struggle was not an act of imiiul- 
sive resistance to direct aggression ; but the delil>erate operation of 
great jirinciples of policy, without the recognition of which, her 
then colonial prosperity would ultimately wither at I lie will of an 
absolute autocrat, or irresponsible Parliament. It was the reluc- 
tant surren ler of the ties of country, kindred, and fr ends, to a 
stern ^ense of duty. 

Basking in the rays of royal favor, enjoying the highest colonial 
prosperity, in harmony with its Governor (who was an accomplish- 
ed gentleman and scholar, devoted to the interests of the Colony) 
the people »if Maryland, in Convention asseml^led, on tne 2.ind. 
June 1774, dispatio alely Resolved, "ihat the town of Boston, and 
the province of Massachusetts are now suftering in the common 
cause of JLmerca." 

The Province of Maryland had then no enemies on her borders; 
no animosities to gratify; no injuries toi'evcnge; no antipathies or 
ambition to stimulate her to extend her limits, au(i never pro- 
truded to claim lands she had neither settled, conquered, nor 
bought. 

'Ihe abstract truth, "no taxation without rei)resentation.'' was 
the principle they sought to vindicate. 

The NoKTHERN AND Eastekn COLONIES had been engaged in 
wars with the French and Indians for h.ilf a century; commercial 
rivalry with the mother comitry excited political jea'ousy, and the 
.Sontheru Colonics made claims to the valley of the Mi-sissippi. 
Each had special grievances to redress, or ambitions to gratify. 

The resolution of the Maryland Convention of 1774 was the calm 
anouncemenet of th:it identity of interest, and unity of sentiment 
and sympathy which then pervaded the colony, and made theri^ 
"though distinct as the waves, yet one as the sea.'' 

One hundred and tifty yjars before the great principle of religious 
toleration, engrafted on the laws of Maryland, had recognized the 
unity and equality' of all christian denominations, in tlii^ir relations 
to the Deity. In the conventions of 1774 and 76, jpolitical vuiity, 
founded on the rights of man and the privilises of Knglish subjects, 
completed the circle of ideas which, in the course of a century, 
emancipated the human mind from learandthe human body from 
thraldom. 

These are the^gerras of the great movements which have resulted 
in the progress of the present age. 



35 

We cannot live on the reputation of our progenitors. He]] is a 
pauper indeed, who adds nothing to his patrimony, in fortune or 
fame. Degenerate sons of noble sires are tlie most pitial)le ob- 
jects of social existence. 

The iiollowest pretension of human pride is descent from distin- 
guished ancestry, devoid of noble thoughts, or noble deeds. The 
men of Maryland who gave it a reputation in the forum, the Sen- 
ate, and the field, were mostly architects of their own fortune. 

To maintain our self respect, to prove our lineage pure, we must 
emulate their virtues, or degrade the escutcheons wj inherit. The 
advancement of our beloved Sta'e, in the past century, can onlv be 
ascertained l)y comparing her material, social, and political status 
in 1776, with her present conditi(>n. 

The province of Maryland in 1776 was divided into sixteen 
counties. 

Their names indicate the successive dynasties under which they 
were established. The name of the venerable County of Frederick, 
erected in 1748, denotes the then domination of royal power and 
influence. 

Its parent stock, Prince Georges, runs still farther back into the 
shadows of monarchy. Both proclaimed that at the period of their 
erection, our ancestors were loyal subjects of Great Britain and 
gloried in her constitution and laws. 

'J'he limits of Frederick then included all the territory now cov- 
ered by Montgomery, Frederick, "Washington, Alleghany, Garrett, 
and part of Carroll. She constituted in population and wealth, 
one fifth of the State. 

In this proportion, she contributed both men and money to the 
war of Indeprndence. 

Id the convention of 1775, for the ease and convenience of the 
people, it was resolved that the County of Frederick should be de- 
vided into three districts — upper, middle, and lower; that there be 
elected in the lowar district one delegate, and in each of the others, 
two delegates. 

The lower district, now constituting Montgomery Gonnty, was 
represented by Henry Griffith Esq. in the Convention of 1775 and 
1776. By contemrioraneous resolves on the 6th, September 1776, 
the upper and lower districts were erected into Counties: the for- 
mer to be called Washington, the latter, Montgomery, "Par uo- 
bilefratrum" 

Immortal names! twin Stars in the galaxy of heroes,[now glow- 
ing with the blazon of victory, but, what meant those names when 
they were first enrolled in the Catalogue of Counties? Washington! 
with a price upon his head, weeping at the carnage of the Maryland 



36 

Line, on the heights of Brooklyn. Moutgonieryl filling a hero's 
grave on the plains of Quebec. 

These naroes,(the first republican in the roll of Counties.) were 
pledges to t'.ie cause of liberty; that as the one had given his lite to 
his adopted Country, and the other daily offered himself, his for- 
tune, and liis sacred honor, as a willing sacritlce; so the Conven- 
tion dedicated its territory, its sons, and their estates, to the de- 
fence of their rights and liberties. 

"Awful and solemn ae was the vow,Jit was gloriously redeemed." 

Uttered amidst the darkness of defeat and distress, the wailing 
of sorrow because "her children were not," Maryland never 
wavered in her resolution, Init filled battalion, after battalion, in 
excess of her contingent. 

From Long Island to the Carolinas, the Maryland Line 
maintained their reputation for discipline and valor; their name 
was the synonym of every soldierly virtue; an honor to the living 
and the dead. 

The military exploits of our Revolutionary heroes have beeo 
heralded a thousand times liy eloquent orator. 

The moral courage, the constancy, energy, co-operation, and self 
denying sacrifices of the people, were equally sublime. 

The Colonial Convention of 1774, as cl basis of future conduct, 
inscribed on their minutes this magnaninious resolve.- 

"As our opposition to the settled plan of the British Adminis- 
tration to enslave America, will be strengthened by an union of 
all ranks of men in this province, we do most earnestly recom- 
mend that all former difierances about religion or politics, and 
all private animosities and quarr3ls''of everv kind from henceforth 
cease, and be forever buried in oblivion; and we entreat, we con- 
jure every man by his duty to God, his Country and his postf^rity, 
cordially to unite in defence of our common rights and liberties." 

Sublime invocation ! 

Whence the miraculous spirit which inspired this appeal to 
harmony, and to whom was it addressed? "When the Earth was 
without form and void, and darkness was upon the fiice of the 
deep, the Spirit of God moved upon the waters." 

The people of Maryland represented all the creeds and nations of 
Europe, Catholic, and Protestant, English, Scotch and Welsh 
Irish, Germans and French, with an infusion of Swedes. 

These did not, like the Klamites and Parthians on the day of 
PeutecDSt, hear (every man in his own tongue) the wonderful 
things of God, but they were animated by one soul. 

Governed by the sacred cbvenant thus entered into without 
any legal auciiority, but ljy tlii' m '.re force of public opinion, the 
Colonial (Jonventions of 1774— 5 — 76, raised money, organized ar- 



37 

mies regulated and controlled the public peace, and exercised all 
the power of government, with extraordinary discretion, forbear- 
ance, and firmness. 

In the midst of Civil war, these self-constituted authorities, call- 
ed Committees of Safety, and CorreSpDudeuce, observed all the 
forms of the < uuimon Law. 

Few. if any instances of wanton injury, or personal oppression, 
occurred in this State during the war. 

The intellectual character of the Colonial Convention was not in- 
ferior to their moral or physical courage. The sagacity of their 
Councils was as consummate as the execution of their work. 

Human wisdom never pieiced further into the womb of the fu- 
ture than the foresight and policy of the Convention in regard 
to the public lands. 

Throughout the progress of the war of the Revolution, Maryland 
. repudiated the arrogant pretensions of those States who professed 
to claim that their territories extended to the Mississippi. 

Whilst levying men and money to the utmost of her means, she 
resolutely refused to sanction the articles of confederation, or be- 
come a member of tlie Union until those extravagant pretenaions 
were abandoned. Through the untlinching firmness of the States- 
men of Maryland and the small colonies, that inestimable heritage, 
"the Country, unsettled at the commencement of the war, claimed 
by the British Crown, and ceded to it by the treaty of Parle, 
wrested from the Common enemy by the blood and treas- 
ure of the thirteen States, became common property, to be erec- 
ted into free and independent Sovereignties.' 

. The Declaration of Rights and Constitution of 1776 were framed 
considered and adopted by the Convention of Maiyland whilst dis- 
charging all the executive and legislative powers of the Colony, 
between the 17th. of August and the 8th. of Nov. 1776. In the 
midst of the disasters to our arms, the decimation of her sons in 
battle, the clouds that lowered upon their future, those noble men 
calmly organized a frame of Gov^er'iment, based upon the wisest 
maxims of political science. 

A constitution which elicited the eulogies of most distinguished 
statesmen and remained, in all its essential features, for half a cen- 
tury, unchanged. 

It is an observation of one of the profoundest inquirers into hu- 
man affairs, '"that a resolution of government successfully con- 
ducted and completed, is the strongest proof that can be given by 
people, of their virtue and good sense. 

An enterprise ot so much difficulty can never be planned and car- 
ried on without abilities; anil a people without principle cannot 
hrae confidence enough in each otner." Judged by this standard, 



38 

the Colonial Conventions of Maryland frora'74 to'76 were entitled 

to our veneration and t-ternal iiratiiiide. Detnn.slhenes, in one of 

his Pliiilippi<!s, told the Atlu-nians if tlicy want«'d examples of 

Statesmanship, of valor, or virtue, they need not look beyond 

their own history. 
TheiJerso»incJ of the Maryland Statesmen, Odicers, and Soldiers 

was equal in character and intelligence to that of any State in the 

Confederacy. 
Carrol, Chase, Paca,' and Stone, were Compeers of the elite of the 

Federal Congress. Smalhvood, Williams, Howard and Gist, were 

second to none of their r;ink on the rolls of fame. 

The rank and tile of the Maryland line, who fell in the midst of 

the foe, were not mercenary soldiers, bu*: farmers, merchants 

and mechanics, who nobly exemplified the patriots dying strain, 

"jDuJce et decorum est pro patria mori^^ 
The commissioned officers in that glorious band, from this 

County, whose names I have been able to ascertain were : 

Captain Lloyd Heall, - - - 7 years service 

Capt. Henry CJaither, - - 7 " '^ 

Capt, Richard Anderson, - - 7 " " 

Capt- Jas. McCubbin Liugan, - 4 " 6 months 

Capt. Richard Chiderson, - - 7 years service 

Capt. David Lynn, - - - G '' (5 months 

Lieut. C. Ricketts, - - - 6 " service 

Lieut. Sam'l IJ. Beall, - - L '' months, 

names worthy to be enrolled on monuments of bronze. 

Montgomery Count}' constituting the lower district of Frede'ick, 

prior to 1776, our share^ the earlier glories of the Revolution. 

m 

is derived from our Alma Mater. Of the sum of ,£10,000 raised by 
subscription in fhe Province in 1774, for tlie common defence, Fred- 
erick County contributed £'133:}. In 177r), the Convention having re- 
solved to enroll forty Companies of Minute-men, required eight or 
one-fifth of the whole, to be raised in Frederick County. In raising 
the States Contingent to reinforce the Federal Armies in 1778, of the 
whole number 2902 men required. Frederick's tjuota was 309, 
Montgomery's was 156, .Washington's w;vs lOS mt?n, maintaining 
about the sann- proporticni one-liftb. I'hc territoral limits of Mont- 
gomery County were «lefincd by the Convention of 177(), in these 
concise terms: '' Begining at the East side of the month of Rock 
Creek on the Potomac River, and running with said River to the 
mouth of the Monocacy; thon with a straight line to Pars Spring; 
from thence with the lines of the County, to the begining. These 
lines embraced Georgetown, and all that part of the (bounty of 
Washington and District of Columbia west of Rock Creek. Thus 
whilst Frederick is our Mother, tlie Counties of Washington, Car 



39 

roll, Alleghany, and Garrett, in Maryland, and a large part of 
theJDistrict of Columbia, are Sister municipalities, whose inhabi- 
tants suffered in tlie same cause;, and triumphed in its success. The 
Delegates who represented Frederick County in the Convention of 
1776. In the lower district (now Montgomery County,) were: 
Thomas Sprigg Wootton, Jonathan Willson, V\ iHiam Baylv Jr., 
Elisha Williams. In the middle (now Frederick) Adam Fischer, 
Upton Sheredine, Cristopher Edelen, David Schriver. In the up- 
per (now Washington, Allegahny, and Garrett,) Samuel Beall, 
John Stull, Henry Schnebley. In organizing its military forces the 
Province iu 1776, was divided into five districts, of which Fred- 
erick Coun^^^y formed one. The follow in g gentlemen were elected 
by the Convention officors, in this County. Lower Baltimore, 
John Murdock, Col; Thomas Johns, Lieut; Col. Richard Brooke, 
First Major; William Deakins, Second Major; Richard Thompson, 
Quarter Master. Upper Baltimore, Zadok Magruder, Colonel; 
Charles G. Griffith, Lieut. Col.; Francis Deakins, First Major; 
Richard Crabb, Second Major; Samuel Du Vail, Quarter Master. 
These were the representative men of that day; many not distin- 
guished above the mass by subseqnent events; but as sponsors of 
the cause of independence, and freedom, in its infancy, and pride, 
are worthy of perpetual remembrance. The material, social and 
moral condition of the County, constituting Frederick County, 
about the period of the Revolution, presents a vivid contrast with 
its present circumstances. Then it was the frontier county of 
the Province. Its hurdy sons were the pioneers of civilization. On 
its outskirts roamed jthe .Savage. Fort Cumberland was the Reu- 
desvous of the British and Colonial Army, iu L755. Fort Necessity 
and the Great Meadows, witnessed the conflict between the lilies 
of France, i^nd the Lions of England. In 1758, Cherokees were 
slain on George's Creek, and bountie* paid for their scalps. Its 
center was occupied by an industrious, mechanical, and agricultural 
population, comprised chiefly of Germans. Fredericktown had ac- 
quired a name before 1748. In that year. Prince Geoi-ges County 
was divided, and ail the County west of the line from the mouth 
of Rock Creek was erected into a county, of which Frederickiown 
was the Capital. The inhabitants of Frederick Couniy, having by 
petition to the General Assembly of 1751, set forth that there was 
a convenient site for a town at the mouth of Rock Creek, on 
Patowmack River, adjacent to the Inspection House (called George 
Gordon's Rolling house) it was enacted, that, 
Capt, Henry Wright Crabb; 
Master John Needham; Master Saml' Magruder, the 3rd 

" John Clagett; " Josias Beall; 

" James Perrie; " David Lynn; 



40 

should l)e commissioned for I'Yederick County, and authorised to 
purchase sixty acres of Messrs. <ieor^e Gurdoii and (Jeorge Bell, 
af the jdace aforesaid, to be erected into a town calleil Oeorge 2\)wn- 
For the advantaj^e of tlie town, and encouragement of the hack in- 
hahitants, the Comniissioners were authorised to h -Id two Fairs 
annually for three successive days during whicli, every one attend- 
ing the same should be free iroin arrest except for felony or breach 
of the peace. In 1783. a tract of laud called The Rock of Dumharton 
belonging to Thomas Beall, was added to the town. In 1789, the 
town was incorporated, and Rol)ert Peter Esf|., api>oiiited Mayor, 
John Mackall < iarrett E-q., Mecorder. Messr-t lirooke Beall, Bernard 
O'Neal, Thomas Beall of George, James McCubbin Lingan, John 
Threlkeld, and John Peter E<qis., Aldermen, so long as they shall 
well behave themselves therein. By the re'^olution of the Conven- 
tion passed the Gih, of September 177G, electing this County, 
Messrs. Nathan Magrnder, John Murdock, Menry (irifiiih, Thomas 
CramphinJr. , Zadoc Magrnder, Allen Bowie, and John Willson, 
were appointed Commissioners tor Montg tiuery County, to pur- 
chase a lot of land not exceeding four acres, at a place to be selec- 
ted by a majority of votes for the pu' pose of buildin*^ thereon a 
Court House, and prison for said County. The plac^ selected by a 
majority of voters one hundred years ago, and long known as 
Montgomery Court Hou-^e, was by act of I8ai, designated as Rock- 
ville. From George Town to Frederick, there was not in the year 
1776, a village, or hamlet that had a name. Public highways were 
unknown. "Kolling roads'' made by Tobacco hogsheads, which 
were rolled to tlie Inspection Warehouses, and bridle paths, used 
by pack horses, were the chief means of communication. "A road 
from Sandy Spring, a settlement commeuceil by James Brooke, in 
1726, entered the road from Frederick to Baltimore at Porter's 
tavern, a distance of 18 mile^." Tobicco being the great Staple, 
wheat was rai.sed in very small quantities. The first mill for the 
manufacture of wheat flour in this County, of which we have any 
information, was erected by James Brooke near the confluence of 
Ilawling-i River into the Patuxent, about 1 737. To convert his flour 
into money he erected a bakery and made ship biscuit of such wood 
quality that it was much sought alter. 'J'his bread w^is con-:i^ned 
to merchants at Bladensburg Kjkridge Landing and the town of 
Jappa, ill Baliimore County, inspectors of flour were firstappoin- 
ted by an Act of 1744, and its Exportation without inspection, 
was prohibited. A country, without roads, without villages, 
mills or markets, must have been a comparative wilderness ; and 
such was the condition of the greater part of this Country, in 1776. 
Our ancestors were hardy pioneers, familiar with the plough the 
eickle and the rifle. Their wives and daughters rode on pillows 



41 

behind their husbands, fatliers and brothers, to meeting: a four 
wheeled carriage was perhaps unknown in the limits of the County. 
A community consisting of English, Scotch. Irish, and Geruians, 
or their descendants, must necessarily have been a vigorous and 
selfsustalning settlement. 

Frederick 'I'own (il is said) had, prior to the Kcvolution, estab- 
lished manufactories of leather, harness, hats, and shoes, and car- 
ried on a trade with the Southern Colonies, in those articles. Pend- 
ing the struggle, the citizens of the county raanufictured cannon, 
sulpluir, saltpetre, gun locks, linen and many of the munitions 
of war, for the troops of the Province. The intellectual condition 
of the people was that of sturdy yeomanry, wliose ancestors Iiad 
braved the perils of the Ocean, and the Wilderness, for conscience 
sake; and though unlettered comparatively, still preserved in the 
Cabin, and the Log Scliool House, the chief elements of learning. 

In 1690, the Provincial Assembly established at Annapolis a 
school called King William's School for educating youth in Latin, 
Greek and Writing; to consist of one master, one writing master, 
and one hundred scholars. The trustees were incorporated by the 
name of "Rectors and Visitors of the Free Schools of Maryland." 
They were authorised to hold lands to the vabie of £1500, sterling 
per annum; to pay the master a salary of i;l20, sterling, and r.^qinred 
as soon as able to establish a school at Oxford, and in other counties. 

By an Act of 1723, chapter 19, entitled "An art for the en- 
couragement of learning and erecting schools in tlie several coun- 
ties of thi-i State," it was enacted that one school should be estab- 
lished in each County. 

Seven visitors app >inted for each, with power to hold lands to the 
value of £100, sterling per annum, were rerpiired to purchase 100 
acres of land for the use of the school, and erect necessary build- 
ings for master and school; and certain monies were appropriated 
and directed to be equally divided between the counties. 

The masters were required to teach as \na,ny poor children a»tke 
Visitors should determine. Under ihis law, county schools were 
erected in all the older and more populous counties. Jn fiu'ther 
pursuance of this policv, the assembly of 1763, chapter 32, declaring 
it was reas 'uable thit education should be extended equally to the 
several parts of the Province, and that there should be a public 
school erected in Frederick County, as well as in other counties, 
in order to the erecting and building a h')u--e and other conveniences 
for a country schi>ol, enacted there should b- one acre purchased in 
Frederi'k Town in Frederick Connty; that Col. Thomas Cresap, 
Mr. Thos. Beatty, Mr. Xathan Magruder, Capt. Joseph Chapjine, 
Mr. John Darnall, Col. Samiel Beall and the Rev. Mr. Thomas 
Bacon, be visitors of the School and authorised to purchase the lot. 



42 

It was fui-lhc'- euactnd that au equal dividend of the duties, taxes, 
&!•., colleeti'd for the us • of tlie county schools, stuili b; paid to 
said visitoisanl appli(;d to the purchase of said lots and buildinsa. 

The puldic school system, uniler the control of the Church of 
Euglauil, although taiiiteil with the intolerance of the period, dis- 
plays a conuueudable solicitude for the cultivaiioii of the minds 
and morals of the youth of the colony. In the absence of Collegi- 
ate Institutions, private schools conducted by learned men, ecclesi- 
astical and lay, ol all creeds, laid the foundation of scholastic 
knowledge. The more affluent youth were educated abroad; but 
the log school house, and the winter Hreside, developed the seeds 
"^ of science in many minds, and produced a race of men of extraor- 
dinary mental endowments and capacity for public affairs. 

'I'heie was no literature in the times of which we speak "Inter 
arma silent musse.'" 

But the public archives, the proceedings, reports, resolutions, 
and letters of public men. embodied in the Journa'R of tin' C n- 
vention; the h^gislatiDU of the state inmiediatcly succeeding its or- 
ganization us an independent sovereign power; the judicial opinions 
and the brilUunt career of members of the bar educated before and 
after, .Martin, Finkney, Wirt, Taney, Johnson, and men oi that 
stamp, attest that the fountains from which they drank were both 
pure and invigorating. 

Thomas Bacon, R-'dor of "All Saints" in Frederick Co., if not a 
descendant of Lord Verulau), was a man of maiked ability, and 
a benefactor of the Colony. His compilation of the laws of Mary- 
land, from the earliest times to 1763, is a work of great labor, con- 
siderable erudition and admirably arranged. In my humble judge- 
ment, no collection of the laws since, compares with it in fulness 
of annotation or completeness of index. It is a monument of great 
industry and research, containing the nuist authentic and interes- 
ting materials of the anti-revolutionary or colonial his'ory Its 
typography shows great proficiency in the art of printing. 

Our ancestors brought with them from their fatherland the 
faith delivered to th m by the Saints. Every lire side, was an 
altar, everv home, a school. Education and Religion were domes- 
ticated in every family. 

*' The priest like father read the sacred page," 
"Then kneeling down to Heaven's Eternal King," 
"The saint, the lather and the husbai>d praj'ed." 

The union of the Colonies, was a miracle of moral and political 
wisiiom. No parallel in ancient times exists. 

History records noexampleofa Confederated Republic established 
under similar conditions. Geographical position invited every 
state to separate independence. Conflicting boundaries, jealousy 



43 

of territorial pr-tension and commercial advantages; above all, the 
antagonism of democratic and ari-tocratic communities, and reli- 
crioiis a"imosities, arraj'orl rolony a^ninst colony. 

If Colonies, thus divided, could under the influence of external 
pressure, sacrifice their several pretensions to sovereignty, 
for the safety and welfare of the whole, what sacrifices should rheir 
descendants make to preserve the accumulated treasures of union, 
after (lie lipsc of a Century? Few and feeble in population and 
wealth, in 1770, the entire confederacy might liave been blotted 
out without disturbing the balance of the civilized world. 

Now, the continent can scarce contain the multitudes which 
throng our expanding borders? 

Every Nation and ton;^ le uuvler Heaven has contributed to our 
Cosmopolitan Republic. The world has given hostages for the 
preservation of the rigiiis of man. The great maxims of personal 
and political equality, free thought, free speech, and a free press, 
— religion, without re-tra nt, — have became a part of the 
law of nations; they are accepted as facts, established by the ex- 
perience of the people of the United States, for the past Century. 
The heart of humanity Wf)uld collapse if the experiment of the 
power of man to develope his greatest happiness and progress 
through republican government, should fail. Centuries are to 
Nations, as decades to individuals; milestones on the track of 
time marking their |)rogress, or decay. Whilst tlie life of man is 
limited lo three score years and ten, forms of government, or dy- 
nasties, rarely exceed three or four Centuries. 

The advocates of despotism oppose Republics as the most unsta- 
ble and shore live>l of all forms of governmeni , bcanse they 
are built upon popular suftrage, and representation. Montesqueiu 
says, their corner stone is public virtue; as long as that lasts, the 
Ke public is safe. 

As the sacred fires of Rome were fed forever by vestal virgins, 
who kept the Palladium, it is our du'y to perpetuate the institu- 
tions on which um- civil, political, lud religious rights depend, by 
preserving ourselves pure and incorrupt. 

Our last prayer >honld be in the words of Katlior l'a:d, "Esto 
perpetua. " We may imagine ourselves addressing our successors 
in the language of "Longfellow;" 

"Ye who now fill the places we once rilled, 

".\nd follow in the furrows, we once tilled, 

"Young men, whose generous liearts are beating high, 

"We who are old, and are about t > die, 

"Salute you, hail you, take your hand in ours, 

"And crown 3'ou with our welcome, as with (lowers. " 



44 

Countries like indiviihi;il>, have characters to form and to 
preserve. The ^icat rharacieristics of Maryljind, a • a State, are 
ma^inaniinity, modi nitinn, courage, and ccustancy. Her highest 
distinction as a Colony, vv. s to be called "the land of the Sanctuary,'' 
her ijreati'.st s^lory as a State, should l)c, to he known as "iIk- land 
of the just.'' Our past has 1)1 en rudely skeichcd, the present is 
before yt)n; the futme, no man knows; yet it will be such, as we, 
and tbnsewho follow us, may determine. 

AlthoMjib the wilderness may not blossom as the rose, yet the 
solitary place bas l)een made glad. The frontier of Marylatnl in 
1770 has becom-s the centre of civilization. 

Favored by Providence with the most temper.ite climate, 
a generous soil, ami salubrious atmosphere, we are brought, by 
great arteries of trade ami travel, into immediate connexion with 
all parts of the continent, i«nd the eyes of the world are upon us. 
Shall we excite their admiration, or their pity, by the appear- 
ance of thrift, or poverty, which we present. 

The Capital of the United States should be surrounded by a 
country capable of producing all the animal and vegetable pro- 
ducts necessary to the sniiply of the metropolis, and by a popula- 
tion equal ni intelligence to the average citizen. 

The malaria and moiasses of the ( amjiagna, did not invade the 
seven hilled city, until her citizens had become slaves. Now that 
every man in the United States has become free, every field should 
yield one hundred ibid. 

Proud of our yeoman ancestry, we would not iruitate the aiis 
of wealth, or envy the palatial pomp of the millionaire. 

Ours slionld be an independent ngricnltnral and manufacturing 
community, relying upon' the honest rewards of intelligent labor 
for progress and success. 

"Trade's splendid empiie tends to swilt decay, 
"As ocean sweei)S the labored mole away; 
"Whilst self dependent power may time defy, 
"As rocks resist the billows and the sky. " 



45 
ADDRESS OF HON. GEO. A. PEAREE. 



The President, tlie Hon. A. Bowie Davis, said that there was 
another son of old Monti^oiiicry pre-^eiit to day, who though he 
had cast his lot in another potion of the State, he was glad to pre- 
sent to the people to day a^ a native of Montgomery County. 

Judge Pearre then rose and said: — 

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen — 

As sown as I received the polite iiivitation of your committee to 
he present at the Centen.iial Celehration of your county's existence, 
1 determined to be with you to day, and to mingle my congratula- 
tions wich yours, and liear from the lips of the good and noble man 
selected for that purpose, a history of the events, and of the pro- 
gress of your coimty, for the past hundred years. To say that I 
have been both pleased and instructed by the oration to wlrch we 
have just listened, would be but faintly to describe my gratitude. 
I have listened to many orations, but I can S;iy with truth that I 
never heard one more thoroughly adai'ted, in all its parts, to the 
subject to which it was devoted; or a more finished and scholarly pro- 
duction. Well may Montgomery be proud of such a man as 
Riclurd J. Bowie. 

I have just returned from the great world's Centennial at Phil- 
adelphia, and one of the first things that struck my eye when I 
came to an examination of the departments of foreign States and 
Countries, Avas the inscription over the archway of the entrance to 
Egypt. It said; "Tiie oldest uiili(m of the world brings her con- 
gratulations to the youngest nation." At once it occured to me 
that I would enter here, and compare the productions of this oldest 
nation with those of our dear native land, the youngest in the whole 
sisterhood of nations. I had just passed through and examined 
with much care the various productions of the United States. With 
these all fresh in my mind, I enterered the Egyptain Department, 
and after a curious glance.at the native who came from the country 
of the great Hannibal, I exuniiied the curiosities as well as the 
productions of Egypt. 

There, wrapt in innimicrable folds of painted canvass, were the 
mummies of two thousand years. 

There were magnificent saddle cloths wrought by hand in golJ 
threads and studded with precious stones; long silken tunics em- 
bossed in curious needle work, reaching from the neck to sweep the 
ground. These seemed to me to be made for upb only in some 
grand State procession of Khedive or Sultan, as he swept by in 
magnificent splendor before the astonished eyes of his poor and 
starving people. 



46 

Here were no agricultural implements, no threshers, reapers or 
mowers. Here were no looms which wove good cotton cloth for 
eij?ht cents a yard, not to be worn by Saltans and grandees, but by 
the kings and queens of this great rei»ublic, the working uie.i a .d 
women of the land. 

'I'he youngest nation of the earth h:isc mse t tiigratulate herself 

that in the first hundred year> of her existoiujc, she has ho far out- 
stripped till' oldest nation, which counts her existauee. not by 
cen*;uries, but by thou-ands of centuries. 

After a thorough and impaitial examination of the present c mdi- 
tion of all the agricultural and uiechan cal inipiovements and in- 
ventions of all nations, every candi'i mini must conclude, that in 
every thing that tends to the materiil comfort, and to the impro- 
ved condition of the great masses of the leoplc, the United States 
excels all others. From this it results that the gn-at iiody of cur 
people are better clothe>l, better fed, and tetter to do, than those 
of any other nation on the face of the earth. 

I might go int) the details which have brought about this great 
result, and when the sun should go down, the hundredth part 
would not be told. 

Amid all this i)rogress and improvem»-nt for tlie past hundrt-d 
years, I am glad to know that Montgotiiery is moving too. 

Where thirty years ago nothing but a crop of broom-sedge 
grew, now the yellow wheat waves a plentiful harvest, and where 
poverty grass scai'ce covered the eart'i, the green corn-tield pro ni- 
ses crowning pit-nty. My adopted county of Allegany, when 
Montgomery came into existauce, was a howling wilderness; and 
is now sending her millions of tons of coal to market, which is to 
day furnishing the steam-power that driv.s the Corliss engines of 
New England, and all the industries of a dozen States. 

We may all therefore rejoice, not only in the general prosperity 
of our whole country, but in our own particular portion of it. 

From what 1 have seen and heard here to-day, I feel prouder 
than ever before of being a native of Montgomery. Although I 
have cast mv lot in another part of the State, a d among a j^eople 
who have been kind and generous tome, far above all I could have 
desired or could have de-erved, yet I always feel that when I 
am in Montgomery, I am at "home," so truly has (ioldsinith 
portrayed the feeling of every man for the jilace of his birth, 
when he makes the traveller say, when speaking of the place of 
his nativity— 

"Where e're I go, whatever realms I see, 
M; heart imtravelled, always turns to thee." 



47 



LETTERS FROM GENTLEMEN WHO WERE UNABLE 
TO ATTEND THE CENTENNIAL. READ BY 
MB. A BERT. 

The first letter read was from the venerable Beujamau Hallowell 
of Sandy Spring. Mr. Hallowell says: 

Being unable to attend in iier.«on, I adopt this mode of thanking 
you cordiall}' for your kind invitation tothe'^Montjfomery County 
Centennial Celebration'" to be held at Hockville, to day. 

The injunction contained in the Maryland Court of Arms— a 
print of which is on your note of invitation— "Crescife et MultipU- 
caminV which I render "Increase and multiply," has been com- 
11 e flably obeyed s'nc^ the c-eation of our county into a separate 
municip ility, the Hundreth Anniversary of which we celebrate to 
day. 

I WIS born in Montgomery County, Pennsylyania on the 17th. 
of 8 h month, (August) 1799, so that the present year accords 
with my age — 76. 

I came to this county in 1819 as Mathematical Teacher at the 
Boarding School at Nair Hill, which was opened in that year, and 
I have been intimately connected with the county, and a Avitness 
of the gr'.-at changes and improvements from that time to the 
present — 57 years. 

What has bi'en accomplished in these hundred year.s that are 
now completed, justly inspires the hope of a bright future, and we 
may feel assurid that our course will be "onward and upward," 
and that the county and State will continue to "Increase and 
Multiply," while they pay due regard, as we may all hope and trust 
they will, to indrustry and economy together with freedom, virtue 
and intelligence. 



James C. Clarke, Esq of Chicago writes: 

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of the invitation to be present 
at the Centennial Celebration of old fllontg meiy. 

Proud, Grand Old County. 
In all these hundred years pnst, her sons, both at home and abioad 
have had no cause to teel ashamed of the actions of her people. 
Worthy progeny of honored sires and comely matronsi No better 
legacy can be left the coming generation than that they mny be 



48 

able to say at the next Centennial Celebration: wo have kept our 
birtb place as our fatiiers left 11, like Cscsar'a wife, not on]}' jmn- 
but above suspicion. 

May heaven's best blessings ever abide with old Montgomery 
and all her people! 

I wish I could be with you on this grand occasion . to do great, 
ful reverence to my birth-place, but the stern demands of duty for- 
bid my indulgence in sucli a pleasure. Although a thousand miles 
away on the Oth of Septemlter, every pulsiition of my heart will 
Ijeat in unison with yours in doing honor to the soil of our birth 
place, and our earliest recollections of childhood's happy houns. 



Rev. Thos. Mc(/oruiick, of Baltimore, writes : 

I very much regret my inability to be with yon at your coming 
Centennial, to contribute my mite to make it an occasion of nnich 
interest, as 1 have no doubt it will be, to all who may attend, with- 
out that mite. Many rcminiscenses cluster aroiid me when I think Of 
the past. Born in Loudoun county, Virginia, in the year 1792^at the 
tender age of six years my lot was cast with my honored uncle, 
Thos. Moore, of precious memory. From that time until 1806, 1 
was under his care. I learned from him what I have not forgotten 
on the subject of farming. I was taken to l'>altim)re by my father 
in 1^06 to learn the art and mystery of a house carpenter. Fifteen 
years after, while persuing that business, my uncle applied to me 
to build the house now owned by E J. Ilall Esq., which was ac- 
complished in 1817. In 1823 Thos. Moore was removed to the 
"house not made with hands.'' In 1829 while engaged in the mer- 
cantile business my health failed and I was compelled to seek country 
life. Hut where shall 1 settle? No place on the green earth .seemed 
so dear, or oflered so many inducements as that upon which 1 had 
spent so many of my youthful days. The fjirm was then for sale; I 
was the happy purchaser. 'I'lien in middle life, 1 was again on the 
much loved spot. Fifteen happy years, with many very pleasant 
surroundings were spent atLongwood,near l>rookville in Montgom- 
ery comity. And now in my old age I am cordially invited to at- 
tend a ('entennial meeting in Montgomery coimty. Most gladly 
would I be one of the company, but must submit, (lod l)le.ss the 
inhal)itants ot Montgomery (;ounty, and make them fruitful of 
every good work is the prayer of one whose days have been length- 
ened to nearly 85 years. 



49 

Edward Stabler, Esq., of Sandy Spring, says: — lUit for a prior, 
and rather itniierative engagetnent, I would lie at Eock>ille to-day 
— a visitor to tlie Montgomery Cent< nnial Exhibition — 

As one of the few remaining representatives of the past Century 
in this county, being the place of birth 82 years ago, and now 
residing in the same dwelling where born, indentifies me in some 
degree as a citizen — and I would like to meet my fellow-citizens in 
the Celebration of our County Centennial — co-eval as it is, with 
the Declaration of Independence of the United States. — 

During this period, there lias Ijeen great changes in civilization, 
in inventions, aud improvements in the arts — in some respect, 
surpassing any preceding century perhaps, of the world. 



^o<e.— As a further notice of the highly respectable family of 
Stabler, one of the oldest in the county, Hon. A. B. Davis, Presi- 
dent, said, at the May meeting of the State Agricultural Society 
(1876,) that the flirm — a part of which Mr. Asa Stablcjr occupies 
was purchased about thirty years ago by Mr. Cat,eb Stabler, 
father of Mr. S., Jr.,— at $2.05 per acre, or S820 for 400 acres. Jt 
was then without house or fencing. — Mr. S. not having a plethoric 
purse, but built a comfortable two story log house, with other neces- 
sary outliouses of the same material, and called it Dravtou. To 
Draytou he removed with his family, consisting of a vrife, one 
daughter and four sons. He inclosed a garden and planted a small 
orchard. His first crop of wheat was five busliels sown, from which 
he reaped two and a half bushels, — the first reward of his labor. 
Acting upon the maxim of an old Quaker progenitor — "iftlieeis 
kind to the laud it never will give thee an ungrateful return," — 
he persevered, and did obtain a grateful and bounteous reward. 
I have not the data to give of the successive crops and means of 
improvement , but accepting an invitation to spend a night at 
Drayton, some years ago, I found the venerable patriarch und his 
no less venerable wife alone, and by them I was received with all 
the cordial but unostentatious and simple hospitality which it was 
possible for a host and hostess to lavish upon the most honored and 
distinguished guest. I soon learned from them that their daughter 
was married, and all of the sons grown up and settled out for them- 
selves. After tea a rap at th" door announced a visitor, and one by 
one the four sons and the son-in-law came in to inquire after the 
health of father and mother, and to pay their respects to their 
guest. I learned also that the 400 acres had been divided into six 
parts and that each of the sons and son-in-law had built and was 
settled on his portion— the old folks retaining the homestead— and 



50 

that each wap near enou;^'h, aflfr ilie \nh(n- of the clay and after tea, 
to walk over to Drayton, to inquire after the well-being of their 
parents. I tliought I never saw a brigiiter or liappiei- family, or 
witnessed a more interestini? or so instructive a scene. Within a 
few days past I have again passed through the same original farm^ 
now cut u|) and divided, ;us already stated. The vmierable sire and 
his consort still survive ; each of the sons and son-in-law are in 
genteel and comfortable houses, surrounded with well-kept gardens 
and orchiird, llowers, shrubs and ornaniental trees and farm, — as 
Ml-. Stabler can testify—yielding from 26 to 32 bushels of wlieat 
per acre, with corresponding crops of corn, hay and straw, supple- 
mented by all varieties of fruit, from the early strawberry to Octo- 
ber peach and hard russet aiiple. 

Is not the example of such a man worthy of imitation, and his 
name of higher honor than he who wins his fame on the field of 
carnage and of slaughter? If it be true, as Dean Swift suys, that 
he who makes two blades of grass grow where one grew before^ 
is entitled to more honor than the warrior or the hero, then is Ca- 
leb Stabler entitled to all honor for making one thousand blades of 
grass grow where none grew before.. 



W. T. R. Saftell, Esq., of Baltimore, writes: 

I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter invi- 
ting me to attend "the (Centennial Celebration of the erection of 
our County into a separate Municipality, to beheld on Wednesday, 
the 6th. day of September 1876." 

It is a matter of great disappointment to me that I find myself 
surrounded by circumstances which do not favor my attendance 
in person on that day. 

Although I have long since gone astray from the county of my 
birth, I love it still, and shall never forget its lulls; its valleys; is 
pure streams; its grand old oaks under which I sported the days 
of my childhood, and the unequaled hospitality of its people. I 
was born on the 18th. day of September 1818, about two miles 
south of Barnsville, on a farm called 'Ivnott's Place," where my 
father, Lameck Sallell, resided at the time, and I well remember 
the features of many venerable faces that moved around me and 
gave light to my early foolsttsps. 

Doubtl(!SS, many of you will remember William Darne,Dr. S. N 
C.White, William Pool, Abraham S. Hayes, William Bennett, 
Brook Jones, Francis C. Cloj -per, Joseph I. Johnson, Nathan 
Hemp.ston, Jacob Nicholls, Horatio Trundle, Ilezekiuh Trundle, 
Richard Harding-, William Trail, Thos. 0. Lannau, my highly 



51 

esteemed "School Master," Kev. Thos. W. Green, Dr. Horatio 
Wilson, the venerable WilliiKu Willsou ami Kev. Basil Barry. 

I was baptised by Kev. Mr. (freen, and tirst heard the sound of 
the gospel from the lips of Kev. Basil Barry. All these are worthy 
names, and well deserve a lasting record in the history of our 
County. 

You will also remember my great Uncle, Charles Satfell, a revo- 
lutionary soldier and pensioner, who lived on a farm, five miles 
north of Roekville, near Gaithcrsburg. He died there in 1837, at 
ihe age of ninety years. At the begining of the revolution, he lived 
with his father, a French musician, in Prince George County. 
I'rom that County he marched to Annapolis, and joined the llegi- 
ments of Maryland Flying Camp under command of General Rezia 
Beall, and sailing to the Head of Elk, he marched northward, in 
the comi)any commanded by John Hawkins Lowe. Charles was a 
drummer, fifer, and bugler, at the battles of Long Island, Fort 
Washington, Brandy wine, Gcrmantown, and Manmouth. He was 
an Auctioneer, and in his latter days visited all parts of the county 
in that capacity. As violinist, also, he amused himself in his feeble 
old age, and oft have 1 heard him reproduce the melodies of the 
revolution in a peculiar style now,* perhaps, forever lost to 
memory. 

When the news of the death of General Richard Montgomery __ 
l»efore Quebec reached Maryland in the early Spring of 1776, the 
cry "O, for a ( !hief to lead us on to deeds of immortal daring" 
went up in thunder tones from every county. 

Though he scaled the hights of ^Abraham and met the fate of the 
immortal Wolf and died on the same ground, yet he died not in 
the hearts of the people of Maryland. Although he hailed from 
Xew York, the people oi Maryland loved him, for the cause of 
the two colonies was identical; and on the 6th, of September 1776, 
the free, sovereign, and independent people of Marylaivd, assembled 
in convention at Annapolis, bestowed on our beloved county, the 
immortal name of Montgomery! Though a century has limned 
the featurs of the natinal scenery of the county, the soldier in the 
second war for Independence trodden its soil, and the hosts of the 
late war swept over its peaceful bosom, yet we meet to day as 
brothers, and forgetting the past, except its glorious achievements 
in the field, the council, and the cabinet, one and all, we hail with 
pride the name, Montgomery County. 

"Washed by the Majestic River Potomac, whose name, in abori- 
ginal language, signifies '"River oftbeburning pine, the council fire, 
and the pipe of peace," may wisdom and virtue forever predomi- 
nate in our county, and "the pipe of peace" send up its white 
smoke to perptuate the precioijs memory of our Independence; and 



52 



so long as the asho i of Montgomery repose in the soil of Ntjw 
York, so long may the soil of Montgomery Coiin'y, Maryland, be 
free from the din of war and the smoke of battle. 



Note. — Francis Cassott Clopper, whose nanje is mentioned in 
the al)<»v<^ letter, was born in Baltimore on the 26th. Jidy 1780. 
Hi- e irly life was parsed iu York, Pennt-ylvania, but while yet 
a boy he went to Philadelphia to begin Ins business life. 
When only IS he was sent by his employers to Xe>v Orleans 
to collect moneys due tiiem theie and at intermediate points. The 
trip was made on horseback, through a wild frontier country, alone, 
or with such chance companions as he might meet upon the road; 
but his mission was successful and he brouglit back the money 
quilted in his vest. 'I'his was but tlie li:st or many like it. 

On the 8th. July 1811, he was married to Ann Jaue Byrne of 
Philadelphia — and i i the f .llowing year he purchased the farm in 
Montg mery County upon whicii he resided until his death, the 
family having moved there in the same year — making a continu- 
ous residence of 57 years. 

The original grants of the tracts of land, comprised in the pur- 
chase, date back to 1748, to the times of the Lords proprietary, and 
formed pait of their Manor of Conococheague, or as one ot them 
has it, of ''Calverton." The lands are described as lying u[»ou 
" Sinicar " Creek near the ford known as the " Indian ford." And 
it is said that the old Indian road from \Vashingtou to Frederick 
crossed Seneca a few yards above the present county-road crossing. 

The land at one time belonged to the Benson family, but al)out 
1804, was sold to Zacariah McCubbin from whoin Mr. (Jlopper pur- 
chased it. Other tracts were bouglit from other parties at a later 
date. The original foundation of the mill is not kuovvn. One was 
standing in 181- upon the site of the present saw-mill. 

His public spirit was a |)rominent feature of Mr. Clopper's char- 
acter, ;ilways interrested in some project for the advancement of 
the county. 

The last twenty years of his life were expended, almost entirely 
in efforts to procure the construction of a rail road tlirongh the 
county. At one time in the organization of the original Metropol- 
itan Kail Hoad Company, and when that failed in the business 
depression of 1857, he called the attention of the President of the 
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to the advant;iges of the route to his 
company, and procured a reconnaissance to be made and a report, 
which later were followed up by the (Tinstructi )Xi of^the road. 



53 

Mrs. Clopper died in 1865 after a married life ot 54 years, and 
her husband in 1868, the desire of his life unsatisfied to see the 
Metroiiolitan Railroad completed. 



Note. — Of the family of the Yt-nerable William Willson, of Clarks- 
burg mentiored in the same letter, Mr. L. Wills' n of Baltimore 
writes. — The branch to wbich I belong, of the '' Willson family," 
camf originally from Prince George's County, and, eitlier beiore 
or shortly after their arrival in Montgomery, became the owners of 
a tract of land, (about 950 acres,) near what is now the division 
line between that county and Frederick. 

'I'he tract still bears the name then given to it, "• Willson's 
Inheritance," and its beginning— a large flat stone, full four feet 
high— forms a C'lnspicuous object on the left of the present road 
from Hyattstown to Barnesville. 'J'he tract is now owned by the 
Hershey family, John Sellnum, andjperhaps others. 

Here lived, one hundred years ago, Jonathan Willson, whose 
name appears as a member of the State Legislature when the 
County of Montgomery was first formed. — He almost accomplished 
a Ceiiten'.ial in his own person, having lived to the age of niuety- 
eiglit years and a lew months. — The immediate cause of his dea'h 
ev< n then being the result of an acciiient. 

The family tradition is, that lie was a man of much intelli- 
gence, energy of character and influence. His only son, John, 
who inherited the estate, lived in the house now occupied by 
Mr. C. R. Hershey. — He also lived to an advanced age, ninety- 
three. 

John had four sons, and a daughter who married a Dr. Ma- 
gruder, and became the Mother of the late Dr. Wm. B. Magruder 
near IJrookeviJle and of other children ; — ten ia all whose descen- 
dants are numerous and widely scattered. 

Of the sons, the eldest, John, lived and died on the paternal 
acres — a quiet highly esteemed "gentleman of the olden times " 
and a bachelor, lie died in 1849, I think, aged eighty-nine — 
He was the " Uncle John^" of my boyhood, whose apples, large 
luscious and abundant, never gave out 'til late in the sununer. 

Tlie second son, Thomas P. settled in Rockville, was for many 
years a prominent merchant there and died at that place about the 
year 1832. His deceudents are now living in Frederick City and 
County. 

The fourthson,Charles, lived for many years inMedley'sdistrictjfirst 
as a merchant at Poolsville, then on a farm, which he purchased not 
far from the month of the Moaocacy — the farm is now owned, I 



54 

believe, l)y the. While liiinily, — iiiid liiially removed to the 
southern pai'tof Kentufi<y, wiiere he died. Ills descendeats are to 
be found in Tennessee, yiri,Mni:i, and lialtiiiioro county of this 
State. 

Th(; third William, (my fatiier,) very e;iily in iiH^ engaged in 
merchandizing in Clarksburg, and continued the business uninter- 
ruptedly at the same stand for abuut forty live years — dying in 
1859 at the age of eighty tline. lie married the eldest daughier of 
John Cliirk,one of the oldest residents of the village, (which was 
named after him,) and to his business, on his death, my father 
succeeded. 

This Mr. Clark, about whom, (or at, least one of his sons) you 
also inquired, was the fatiier of two sons. John and Nelson, who, 
very early in life— ^ John not yet being of adult age — renjoved from 
their native vil'age to Ualtimorej and immediately we it into l)usi- 
ness on their own account, were each more t lian ordinarily suc- 
cessful, and died in the possession of consideruble property,,— the 
fruit of energy, skill and enterprise. 

Kelson, the younger of the two, died about twenty years since 
in the prime of life, married, but without children. 

John died in 1867 at the age of seventy-four, He was singu- 
larly unfortunate in the death of his children. Of a family of 
nine, all of whom, with one exception, attained adult age, and 
several mariied,— he had Ituried all several years before his own 
death. 

After iMoviding well lor his grandcbildren — all of whom are now 
living in Baltimore or its vicinity — and making other bequests, he 
left property to the value of half a million of dollars to a Bene- 
ficiary Society, which at his instance, had bei-n incoroporated in 
connexion with Saint John's Church of Baltimore. 

The family name became extinct with him, only feniale branches 
surviving. 



EXttlBITS 



:o:- 



The Committee appointed to collect relics consisted of 
H. W. Talbot, Esq. Chairman, 
Isaac Young, Esq., Jos. T. Moore, Esq., 

Leonidas Wilon^ Esq., Col. Washington Bowie. 



l^^nUnnial EBlix)8 Exbibitad. 



By a. B. Davis, Esq. 



Folio Volume of the Laws of Maryland from 1634 to 176.3, in 
the type of a century ago. 

Constitution and proceedin^-s of the Conventions of 1774—5 6 

together with the Laws of the State from 1763 to 1785. 

Hertey's Digest of the Laws of Maryland, from the time of 
the first settlement of the State, to thie year 1797, with an ap- 
pendix. Laws of the 1st, 2iid, 3rd, and 4th, Congresses, contamiug 
the Constitution of the United States, numerous treaties with 
the Indian Tribes, and Foreign Powers, covering the full period 
of President Washington's Administration. 

English Liberties, containing Magna Charta, the Habeas Cor- 
pus Act, Kssays on Parliament, and the choice and qualifications 
of Jurors ; also on Constables, Coroueis, Church- Wardens, Over- 
seers of the Poor, and of the Highways, with many cases illustrat- 
ing the whole. Publishcil in 1719. 

Political Disquisitions, enquiring into public errors, defects and 
abuses, illustrated by, and established upon facts and remarks, 
extracted ft cm a variety of authors, ancient and modern. Pub- 
lished in 1775. 

Christian Politics in four parts i)y Eli liates. Published in 1806. 

Essay on deep plowing as a means of renovating worn-out land, 
by Thos. Moore, of Lougwood, Montgomery Co., Md. Pub- 
lished in 1801. 



66 

An old folio I»rayer Book of the Church of England, coiitiiaiiii]; 
forms of Prayer and thanksgiving for deliverance from " I he 
Gunpowder Plot," for the restoration of King Charles 11., aiul a 
special service ui)oii the accession of Queen Anne. Published 
in 1715. 

A letter from Col. llearv Galther, a revolutionary oincer, dated 
1795, then in the Cherokee (Country, upon the policy of tlie govern- 
ment toward the Indians, concaining al«o an expression of confi- 
dence in his friend, Thos. Davis (father of the concributor,) and 
a congratidarion U|)on his fust election to tlie fjegislature in 1794 ; 
also Compass, Field-notes and Platting Instruments, lielonging to, 
and used by Thomas Davis in 1790. 



N'ote. — Mr, Thomas Davis, Surveyor, referred to above, besides 
being a good practical Surveyor, as the exhibits at the Centennial 
clearly estal>lish, was wbat might be called an eminently useful 
man. He was frequently elected to represent his native County in 
the Legislature, the Klectornl College for electing the State Sena- 
tors nnder the old Constitution, and as a member of the Governor's 
Council. 

He served as a Justice of the Peace, a meml)er of the Board 
of Tax Commissioners, Judge of the Levy and Orphans' Conrte, 
anrl also as one of the Associate Judges of the County Court, before 
the change of the system requiring all three of the Judges to 
be taken from the legal profession. Besides these public duties, 
he was frequently called upou to draw deeds, wills, and contracts, 
and to act as umpire or arbitrator in settling disputes between 
neiglibors and other citizens of the County. He was also one of 
the founders and leading trustees of the Brookville Academy, and 
of St. Bartholomew's Protestant Episcopal Church, in whose 
Vestry and Comnmnion he died in 1833, in the 65th. year of his 
age, deeply lamented and mourned by a wide circle of friends 
and relatives. The life ofsuchamanis worthy of record and of 
imitation. — Editor. 



Engravings of Geo. Washington, Father of his Country, and 
Philip E, Thoma-s, Father of the Rail-Roads of his Country, a 
native of Montgomery County. William Penn, making a treaty 
with tlie Indians. Gen. Richard Montgomery, after whom the 
County was named, contributed by Mr. Saffell of Baltimore, Chief 



57 

Justice Roger Brooke Taney, and Rcverdy Johnson, late of Balti- 
more, the foremost lawyer of his day. ludiuii Relics. — A stone 
tomahawk and battle-axe, medicine bag, moccasin? and orna- 
mented belt and leggins. 

Mr. Davis exliibited also a copy of an old subscription paper 
showing the ' Fnitial movement towards internal improvement in 
N'orth Amei'icA in 1774," two years before the Declaration of In- 
dependence, and ten years before the organization of the Old 
Potomac Company, which was in 1825, merged into the present 
(Chesapeake and Oldo Canal Company; Washington and Carroll 
OF Carrollton being the most conspicuous promoters of the 
movement. 

We give below a copy of the paper referred to — the original is 
on parchment at Annapolis. 

"We. the subscribers, have considered John Ballendinb's 
plan and proposals for clearing Potawmack Rioer, and do approve 
of it; and to enable him to set about that useful and necessary 
undertaking, do hereby agree and promise severally, to contribute 
such assistance, or pay such sums as we respectively subscribe, 
to the Trustees named in the said plan and proposals, or to their 
order at such times and places, and in such pioi)ortions as shall 
be required by them, for the purpose of clearing the said Rivbr, 
Witness our hands this tenth day of October, one thousand 
seven hundred and seventy- four." 

N. B.— As nothing effectual cau probably be done for less than 
about thirty thousand pounds, this subscription is not to be 
binding unless to the value of thirty thousand pounds, Pennsyl- 
vania Currency should be subscribed. 

George Washington, five hundred pounds, Virginia Currency; 

Ralph Wormely, " " '' " •' 

Th, Johnson, Jr., forselfand Mr. L. Jacques, 11500 Penn'a Cur'y 

Dan of St. Thos. Jenifer, three hundred pounds, Dol'ra at 7s. M. 

Geo. Plaix, three hundred pounds, Currency, 

T. Ridout, two hundred pounds. Currency. 

Daniel Dulany'a son Walter, i;200, Currency. 

David Ross, for the Fredericksburg Co's. , 500 pounds Peu'a Cur'y. 

David Ross, for himself, 300 pounds Pennsylvania Currency. 

Dan'l and Sam'l Hughes, (he hundred pouuds Penna. Currency. 

Benj. Dulauy, five hundred pouuds Penii>ylvania Money. 

Thos. Ringgold, one thousand pounds, Pennsylvania Currency. 

W. Ellzey, oue hcmdred pounds. 

Jonas Clapliaui, one hundred pounds, Virginia Currency. 

William Deakins, Jr., one hundred pounds— dollars, at 7 s. 6 d. 

Joseph Chapline, fifty pouuds common current money. 
^ Tho. Richardson, fifty pounds, Pennsylvania Currency, 



68 

Thomas Johns, fifty pounds, common Currency. 

Adam Stephen, two hundred [lounds, Pennsylvania (Jurrency. 

Robt. and Tho. Kutherlbrd, one hundred pounds Penn'a Cur'y. 

Francis Deakins, one hiuidred pounds, Cora'n Cur'y of Maryland. 

Ch. Carhot.l, of Carrollton, iJlOOO, Our'cy, Dol. at 7 s. d. 

By Act ot Assembly in 1784, the State of Virginia gave to 
''George Washington, Ksq.," tifty-thou-^and shares, cai)ital stock 
of the Potomac Company, and an hundred thousand shares of 
the James River Company's stock, to testify their sense of 
" his unexampled merits towards bis country." For this Wash- 
ington returned his thanks in the most profound and grateful 
manner, but respectfully declined the gift; and in doing so, he 
uses these memorable words, which ought to be printed in gold 
over the door of every man who accepts high public trust.— "When 
1 was called to the .-tar ion with which I was honored during the 
late condict for our liberties, I thought it to be my duty to join to 
a tirm resolutio i to shut my hinds agamst every pecuniary re- 
compence ; to this resolution 1 htve invariably adhered ; from this 
resolution (if I had the inclination) I do not consider myself at 
hberty to depart." Let these words sink deep into the heart 
of all those who wish to aspire to the station he so nobly tilled. 

By Mrs. A. B. Davis, 
Antique satin Slippers with very high heels, sharply pointed 
toes and buckles, a century old. 

By Miss R. D. Davis, 
a pincushion, made of very elegant flowered brocade silk, 
worn by her great grand mother, Mrs. Milcah Hill Goodwin, 

in 1773. 

By Thomas D. Gaithek, 

silver butter bolt, over a' century old, made in England. 

By Miss R. D. Davis, 
ladies head dress of tlie olden time. 

Miss Mary D. Davis, 
exhibited a be lUtifid pencil sketch of the Seal of Lord Balti- 
more. This is the work of her own hands and highly creditable 
to hi*r-elf. It is a fine specimen of workmanship, showing great 
artistic skill, and it is so^finely wrought that many a good judge 
might mistake it for a fine copper or steel engraving, of the 
olden time- The original from which she copied, dates about 
the year 1720. On one side is a Knight on horseback with 
hilmet, sword an 1 shield ; on the other is a farmer holding a 
spade and a fisherman a fish , underneath are the words 

'Cresclte et MaZtiplicrtmlni." 

The use of Seals, as a mark of authenticity to letters and 
other instruments of writing, is extremely ancient. The Charter 



N 59 

of Edwai d the Confessor to Westmiaster Abbey was witnessed 

by his Seal, which is generally suppose^l to be the oldest Sealed 

Charter in England. The Knight on horst^back, seen on Seals, 

as on that of i.ord Baltiiauie, liad its origin in the war of the 

Crusades, if not from a more remote antiqiilty ; and when Miss 

Davis wa^s sketching the outlims of the dashing charger and the 

helmeted Knight, ^he, pe' haps, enjoyed the pride that she was 

perpt'tnatini;- the memory of the days of old chivalry, which, 

novv and then, throw out their shadowy hands from a hoary 

antiquity. 

Edward M. Vieus, Esc^., 

a long gun, a tlint lock gun, altered to a percussion, was a centre 

of attraction to the men. 

This formidable fowling pieci' bore a label inscribed as follows: 

"Thisgun|was owned by iMr. Isaac Riley's father, and supposed to be 

about 140 years old, better known as Isaac Kiley's long gun. 

When any one tohl a long yarn it was said for a by-word that it 

was shot out of Isaac Riley's long gun. It is supposed this gun 

has won more turkeys and quarters of beef than any other gun in 

Montgomery county, and killed more ducks, turkey*, &c., than 

any other. 

H. C. HoLLOWEL, Esq. 

exhibited a ciine made from the oak of Washington's house, on 

Cameron Street, Alexandria, Va., presented to B. Hallowell by B. 

Waters, and a "Brain Stone'' from Mt. Vernon, presented to 

Benjamin Hallowell, by Eleanor Lewis, grand daughter of Mrs. 

Martha Washington — This stone was used at Mt. Vernon for 

cracking walnuts. 

Mrs. Henry Pierce, 

exhibited a Bible published in 1722, and a tea caddy 125 years old* 

Richard T. Bentlev Esq., 
exhibited a piece of the Flag that waved over Fort McHenry at 
the time Francis S. Key composed the Star Spangled Banner, a 
piece of the walnut cotiin that once contained the remains of Wash- 
ington, a piece of the pine case that covered it, a land patent isf'iicd 
l)y Lord Baltimore in 1722, to Thomas Wilcoxen of Piince George 
County Maryland, and the chair used by President Madison when 
writiuij despatches upon ids flight from Washington to Brookville in 
this county, in the war of 1812. He also exhibited sundry Indian 
relics, cnisting of mortars, hatchets, arrow-heads, and a stone 
tool used by the Indians in fashioning their mortars. 

Euwix HiGGiNS, Esq., 
of the Baltimore Bar — V native of the county, exhibited two 
engraving.* — One of Hon. Ri-verdy Johnso i — A life like picture of 
the distinguished Jurist and Statesman, with whom Mr. H. was 



60 

associated in the cases before the Court of Appeals of Maryland 
at the timt Mr. Johnson met his deatli. 

The other, a picture of Chief Justice Taney of tlie I'liited States 
Supreme Com t. It was once the properly ol Hon. John V. L. 
McMahoii and was presented to him by the exhibiinr. 

Mr. samubl p. Thomas, 
exhibited a portion of a Sett of China-ware, known to have re- 
mained in the same "corner cupboard ' at the old family resi- 
dence, "Cherry Hill/' for 100 years, and it is supposed to be much 
older. The display included a number of curiously decorated 
plates, some of inmiense size. A punch bowl with a crown on the 
top; a tea-pot with Hie words " No Ta.xation '' on one side, and 
" America. Liberty Restored " on the other. Some Iare;e beer- 
mugs of clear glas.-; were also displayed, which were a rather severe 
reflection upon the sobriety of our ancestors. 

Mr. Wm. John Thomas, 
showed some tiny spoons, two silver tankards, and the bill for 
the same, dated, London, 1773. These were made to order for 
John Thomas, a great Uncle of the present owner. 

A silver pitcher 75 years old, form« rly belonging to Sarah 
Thomas, was also shown. 

Mrs. W. p. Miller, 
loaned a foot-stool which once belonged to Martha Washington, 
and some old-fashioned combs and bonnets created much merri- 
ment among the irreverent juveniles. 

Miss Mary B. Kirk, 
introduced Letitia Penn to a large audience. She was a doll, 
given to a little girl in Philadelphia, by William Penn during his 
visit to this country. 

Mrs. Z. D. Watkks, 
exhibited a Bible and Prayer Book, boimd with m«'tal clasps — 
the former published in 1751 and the latter in 1707. They mea- 
sured 17| by 11^ inches eoch, and they had been the properly of 
Tho. W. Waters, grandfather of the exhibitor. 

Miss Lucy K. Worthington, 
exhibited a Camp chest and cartridjre box, used by Col. Henry 
Gaither, in the revolutionary war, and protile likeness of Col. H. C. 
and Mrs. Gaither. 

Mrs. Dr. IL C. Maynard, 
exhibited a miniature of Mrs. Eedding Blount, of revolulitniary 
fame, and some old English and Sp.anish coins. 

Mk. F. Hosmek, 
exhibited a pair of very large Field-glasses of great power, said 
to be 150 years old. 



61 

Mr. Zeiglkr of TJnitt, 
exhibited an old Spanish coin, two ancient silk shawls and a silver 
half shillinjr of 1776. 

The Mr.ssEs Wootton, 
exhibitted a lot of Continental money, a canteen used by Capt. 
Lynn during the revolution ; samples of cotton raised, spun, and 
woven by tb.eir grandmother over 100 years ago ; flax raised about 
the same time ; copy of a Georgetown paper containing an obitu- 
ary notice of Gen. Washington, and copies of the first papers 
published in Rockville. 

By Mrs. Maddox, 
white satin breeches and slippers worn by her grandparents 
on the occa.«ion of their Marriage over 100 year^ since ; also four 
volumes of RolUn's Belles Lettres, published in 1734, formerly 
belonsing to Karl Dtburgh, with his coat of arras in each volume. 

Miss Priscilla Clements, 
Eighty-five years of age, exhibited two gourds, one 78 years, and 
the other 110 years old, a fan and case 145 years old, and two silver 
table-spoons and spoon-moulds 120 3'ears old. Also work done by 
herself 65 years ago consisting of lace embroidery and fancy knitt- 
ing. An interesting feature was the .«i)inning by this exhibitor 
of the llax exhibitetl by Miss Wootton, raised near Rockville 
ovei loo years ago, on a wheel of the same age ; and the hackle 
used on the occasion was imported from England over 200 years ago. 

Miss NiCHOLLS, 

exhibited four silver tea-spoons 130 years old, and Mr. Thos. 
Brown a piece of iron tised as a fire-back by Arch-Bishop Carroll, 
dated 1740. 

Edwin R. Mace, Esq., 
exhibited a Land Patent on Parchment, granted Nov. 19, 1730, 
bearing the autograph of Benedict Leonard Calvert, Lord Balti- 
more. Another dated, Oct. 16, 1787, containing the autograph 
of Gen. William Smallwood, who commanded the ^larylaiid Line 
during the Revolutionary war, and was Governor of the State at 
th3 time of signing the patent. lie also exhibited the young 
Ladies' Introduction to Natural History, published in 1766, 
Baxter's S;iints' Rest, published in 1774, and a Nevv Testament an 
hundred years old, which belonged to Isaac Riley. 

Mu. Arthur Stabler, 
exhibited a li'e like protrait of Mr. Edward Stabler of Sandy 
Spring, tlie oldest living Post Master in the United States, the well 
known Engraver, the first and only President and originator of 
the Montgomery County Mutual Insurance Company, which from 
a small begining in 1847, has, after paying all losses, run its line of 
policies in 1876, up to $12,552,000. 



62 

Among other curiosities were the followinj::: 

An immense liiokory chair used by Hazel Butt, the grandlather 
of tlie Caphells, who in his iileiinie weii^luMJ -451) pounds. 

A siiie-saddle ninety years old, with staples on each side to 
carry marketing, which Ijclonged to Mrs, Ann Waters, grand- 
mother of the present owner Gustavus Jones. 

Mantel clock, 124 years old, which yet keeps good time. It 
belonged to Mary Younghusband, wife of Roger Brooke, 

Cheapean ofCaptain Henry Washington Fitzhugh. 
Mrs. Margaret A. Barnsley, 
exhibited dre-ses, one hundred years old belonging to Miss Dollie 
Court, of France, grandmother of present exhibitor, 

Miss L. A. Hershey, 
exhibited a Bible 211 years old, shawl one hundred years old, and 
other articles owned by the exhibitor. 

Some high old hats and continental money by the bushel. 

Buckskin undert^hirt and garters worn by John Randolph, of 
Roanoke. 

Satin wedding vest ninety years old, worn by General Jatues 
Lingan, who lived at Middlebrook Mills, near Gaithersburg. 

Mr. Charles i^BERX, 
exhibited a brick from the house in which Ben. Franklin was born. 

Mrs. ( harles Abert, a great grand daughter of Benjamin Frank- 
lin, was present, and took an active pnrt m the Celebration. She 
possesses a hanhsome marble bust of that distinguished philosopher 
and statesman, a handsome portrait of his daughter Sally — after- 
wards Mrs. Bache — also a full length portrait of Mr. Abert's 
grandfather, Timothy Matlack, reading the Declaration , of Inde- 
pendence, July 4th. 1776. 

Mrs. C. N. Strain, 
exhibited glass and table, which was on board the "Coustelhition,'' 
Commanded by Com. Truxton, during the engagement with the 
Insurgent and La Vengeance, Februry 1, 1800. 
Mr. Green of Rockville, 
exhibited a Spring (wood) of the carriage in which Gen. Jackson 
traveled from Tennessee to Washington, via Hockvillc. in 1829. 

Sarah B. Stabler of Sharon, 
exhibited a Candle-stand which belonged to iMary Brooke, grand- 
mother of the present owner and exhibitor. 

Silverware 150 years old, belonging to Miss Margaret J. Beall ; 
also silver belonging to Thos, D. Gaither, and many articles of 
rarity and taste from other contributors in all parts of the county. 

Among the curiopities on exhibition should be particularly men- 
tioned, as a reward to the industrious spinster, Miss O'Neale'a 
spinning wheel 95 years old, at which she sat and worked all day 



63 

on an elevated platform, surrounded by girls. Miss O'Neale is a 
venerable lady, and truthfully declared she was n )t 45, although 
she worked a spinning-wheel 95, and flax 100 years old, raised neai- 
Rockville, and a hackle 100 yi-ars old. The tlax was good and 
sound and bore the name of Elizabeth Lynn Magruder. Miss 
O'Neale sat in lier sun-bonnet and spun and chatted with the 
young girls aud their beaux, and piesented a strikingly good 
old-tishioned example oC industry and healthfid preservation to 
the younger maids who watched the fly ng wheel as she worked. 
Miss O'Neale also exhibited a broom-stick which had been in 
use as such 86 years, having been perverted to that purpose from 
a cane used by VVni. O' Neale. The fact that any household 
should preserve a broom-stick for over three quarters of a cen- 
tury curies its own comment. 

And let us not forget to mention in our list of curiosities, Aunt 
Jenny, a colored Avonian, f .rmerly a slmve, 86 years old. She 
became the mother of twenty living children in her life-time, 
and is still living in fair health and spirits. 



NATIVE CITIZENS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, WHO 
HAVING LEFT THFlli HOMES, HAVE CONTRI- 
BUTED TO THE WEALTH, GHOWTU AND DE- 
FENSE OF 'I HE CITY OF BALTIMORE. 



-:(»:- 



1. Philip E. Thomas already noticed as the founder and for 
many years the President of the Baltimore and Ohio Kailroad — 
the first commensal railroad undertaken in tho ITuited States — and 
the first to utilize steam as a motive power or laud carriage. 

Mrs. Ann Poultney, relict of the lile Charlt;s Poultney and sister 
of Philip K. Tliomas, was remarkal)le for her culture, piety and 
refinement. She was a prominent member and speaker of the So- 
ciety of Friends. 

2. Col. John Berry who participated in tlie defense of Fort 
McHenry when bombarded by the British in 1814 — and whose well 
directed guns caused the British lion to weigh anchor and drop 
down the river out of the reach of tlie artillery of the Fort. For 
his gallantry on this oceasicm lie attracted the attention of Maj Gen. 
Winfield Scott — by an offer of promotion and transfer to another 
important military post. He prefered after successfully defending 
his adopted City to return to private life, and devoted himself to the 
development of the patent fire brick witii his brother, Mr. Thomas 
L. Berry in the south east part of the city, which proved eminently 
successful and profitable. He accumulated a large fortune, leaving 
as his representatives, Gen. John Somerfield Berry and John Hurst, 
the successful dry goods merchant and Pre.><ident of the National 
Exchange Bank. 

3. Elisha Biggs, for many year.^ the head of the well-kuowu 
firm of Biggs, Peabody «fc ( lo., in Baltimore Street near Hanover, 
afterwards Pt-abody, Biggs & Co , in German Street, The elder 
partner moving to New Vork after aiding and establishing the 
well-known firm of Corcoran & Riggsof WGsliington, he died leav- 
ing a fortune of a million and a half of dollars. Mr. CJeorge Pea- 
body, at one time his clerk, afterwards his partner had in the 
meantime removed to London where in his succeesfnl efibrts to 
maintain and uphold the credit and integrity of Maryland he laid 
the foundation of his own colossal fortune, a part of which in his 
life-time he devoted to the development of art and instruction for 



65 

the benefit of tlie city of Baltimore by the establishment of the 
inagniiicient Institute on Mount Vernon J*laoe which bears and 
will hand down his name to generations yet unborn. 

4. Samviel Biggs the junior member of the same firm who died 
in early life, leaving a fortune of i^tTOftjQW dollars. 30 0,0 O 

5. John C. Clark the well-known Merchant and Banket- who 
left a large fortune 400,000 dollars to St. John's Independent 
Church in Liljerty St., and which is now being removed to a 
magnificient site and now Church on Madison Ave., near the Park. 

6. George E.. (xaither recently deceased, whose large and hand- 
some Stores and Warehouses on Baltimore, Hanover, German, 
Howard and Charles Stieets, and handsome dwelling houses on 
Cathedral Street entitle him to be numbered among Baltimore's 
most oppulent and substantial citizens. He left a fortune of 1,300, - 
000 dollars. 

7. Israel H. B and A. and R. R. Griffith from the same nei{,li- 
borhood, for many years fiourished as successful Merchants of 
BaUimoi-e. Upon the death of the first named, investments in 
Stocks and Bonds to the amotmt of 445,000 dollars were found in 
a trunk under his bed. 

8. Rev. Thos. McCormick, whose letter follows that of Mr. 
Clarke, on another page of this book, carried butter to market in the 
first i-efrigerator ever made. The late Thomas Moore, a member 
of the Society of Friends, living at that time in the neighbor- 
hood of Brookevdle, in Montgomery county, Maryland, was the 
inventor, and for which he took out a patent in or about the year 
1803. The first one was of small size, made for the purpose of 
carrying butter to market on horseback, as most of the marketing 
was done in that way in those days. The refrigerator consisted 
of a cedar tub of oval form, and about eighteen or twenty inches 
deep ; in this was placed a tin box, with the corners square, which 
would contain twenty-two prints of butter of one pound each, leav- 
ing space on each side, between the tin and wood, for ice in small 
lumps. The outside of the wooden box was covered with rabbit- 
skin with the fur on, and over that was a covering of coarse 
woolen cloth. In this first refrigerator the butter was cariied on 
horseback to the market at Georgetown, D. C, a distance of twenty 
miles, in waim weather, hard and firm, and with ice enough left 
to give each purchaser a small lump. This butter, of course, com- 
manded a much higher price than any other. 

Alter this he made them of larger dimensions and in a different 
manner for family and dairy purposes. They were composed of 
two square cedar boxes, one of smaller size, and the space between 
them filled with pulverized cliarcoal well packed in ; a tin box 
fastened to the inner side of the lid contained the ice, and the 



66 

whole was covered with coarse woolen cloth. Thomas Jeflerson, 
then President of thi' Uuited States, i-ome of the heads of depart- 
ments, and other citizens of the District (tf Columbia, who had 
ice-liouses, used Thomas Moore's patent refrigerators. In fourteen 
years his i>ateiit expired, when he gave the public the benefit of 
the same by not renewing it. The relrigerator was however of but 
little practical benefit to firraers generally, sis not one in a hundred 
had such a useless appendage to his farm as an ice-house, so they 
went out of use for a number of year a. 

Thomas Moore was a remarkable man. His father, Thomas 
Moore, an Irish Quaker, came to this country early in the last cen- 
tury, setteled first in Pennsylvania, where he marrie'i, and after- 
ward removed to Loudoun county, Va.. where he built a residence 
and called the place Waterford, after his native home. Here the 
son Thomas for a time carried on the business of a cabinetmaker, 
which he had learned. He then engaged in milling and merchan- 
dizing in conni ction with his brother-in-law James McComick. 
About the year 1794 he removed to Maryland, having married 
Mary Brooke, daughter of Roger Brooke, of Brooke Grove, in 
Montgomery county. Here he couimenced farming on the estate 
j of his wife, and soon distinguished himself as a practical farmer. 

The state of Maryland is greatly indebted to him for many im- 
provements in agriculture All hough the land was poor when he 
took posession of it, he soon had the model farm of the county 
and st:ite. This farm is now owned by E. J. Hall, Esq, president 
of the Montgomery County Agricultuial Society, who married a 
niece of Mary Moore. Persons came from long distances to see 
his farm aiid to witness the deep plowing with the mammoth plow 
of his own invention, his fine stock of cattle in fields of red clover, 
his meadows of timothy, fine fields of corn, the ground yellow 
with pumpkins, and the large pen of small bone hogs, fattened on 
pumpkin-, corn and slop boiled in a wooden box. 

One disiinguislied visitor, the writer well remembers, was Char- 
les Carroll, son of Carroll of CarroUton, who came on purpose to 
see tne farm and improvements. I'he proprietor being absent on 
that occason, it devolved upon the twelve-year-old nephew to show 
the visitor around, which service was rewarded by the first silver 
dollar the fVirmer boy ever called his own. 

Thomas Moore, about this time, wrote a treatise on agriculture 
and another on ice-house and refrigerators, which proved of sig- 
nal benefit to the state of his adoption. In the year 1805 he was 
employed by the corporation of Georgetown to construct the 
causeway from xVlason's Island to the Virginia shore, for which he 
received $24,000, and completed the work in h ss than one year. 
After this he was employed by the United states government to 



67 

lay out the great national road to the West. During the war 
with Great Britain, from 1812 to 1816 he took charge of the tJriion 
Manufacturing works, near Ellicotfs Mills, as chief manager. 

About this time he, in connection with his two brothers-in-law, 
Caleb Bently and Isaac Biggs, purchased the sit(^ and erected the 
cotton mills known as Triadelphia, Montgomery county, Md. 
This was not a profitable investment, the war closing soon after 
the factory went into operation. He was next called upon by the 
Board of Public Works of the state of Virginia to accept the posi" 
tion of chief engineer of the James liiver canal. He also served 
in the same capacity in the Chesapi^ake and Ohio canal, where, after 
making considerable progress, he 'contracted a fever so fatal to 
many on the Potomac, and came home to end his life with his 
family. Tiie following is from the pen of Isaac Briggs, his brother- 
in-law : From the year 1818 until his deatti he occupied, with much 
honor to himself and with great benefit to the public, and with ti)e 
entire approbation of those to whom he was responsible, the othce 
of principal civil engineer ol the state of Virgin a. On the 3d of 
the tenth month (October,) after a sickness of twelve days, aged 63 
years, he quietly departed this life like one falling into a quiet 
slumber. 

9. Thomas L. Reese the father, and grmdfather of the well- 
known Grocery firm, now doing business in Baltim re, was for a 
number of years a highly esteemed citizen of o.d Montgomery. 

In early life he was a clerk with the celebrated Johns Hopkins, 
in the Uounting-room of their I'ncle 'ierard T. Hopkins, and often 
heard the great Capitalist say, when he came to Baltimore he had 
but five dollars in the world, but he had resolved to becnme a rich 
man. 

When about 25 years of age he married Mary, daughter of 
Thomas Moore — a sketch of whose useful and truly valuable life 
will be found elsewhere in these pages —and lived for six or eight 
years, in Brookeville engaged in mercantile life, filling several 
offices of honor and trust, everywhere esteemed as a conscientious 
and upright man. 

PYom there he returned to Baltimore and became a partner in the 
Wholesale Grocery firm of Gerard T. Hopkins & Co. 

In 1833 he opened a retail store on Pratt Street, desiring to edu- 
cate his sons in all the details of the business, where he remained 
until 1844, when he retired from active life, but still by his daily 
counsel and advice, aidiuir his sons who succeeded him, in building 
up the large business they are now doing. — In early life he was often 
heard to say that he never desired to become a rich man, and al" 
though actively engaged for more than thirty years in mercantile 
life, during which he reared and educated a large family, he died in 



68 

moderate circumstances, but leaving to posterity a legacy more 
valuable than any amount of earthly riches a (jood name. 

Among other names worthy of being mentioned is that of Wil- 
liam Dame of Mountain View at the foot of the Sugar L^af Moun- 
tain, who afterwards removed to Darnstown where he died. 

Mr. Darne was distinguished for his hospitality and urbanity of 
manners. He left a lamily of daiighiers e<iu:illy distinguistieil for 
beauty, culture, and ease and elegance of manner. One of whom 
married C:ipt. Smoot of the Navy, another Capt. Lacy of the Array, 
anotht-r Dr. Bella practising physician of the county. Mr. Darne 
several times represented the county in the State Legislature and 
as a director in the Chesapeake and Ohio canal. He also left one 
son, Mr. Alexander Darne of the county. 



Note by the Publisher. — "Mcmntaiu View'' the old home of Wil- 
liam Darne, is a farm coutaing about 150 acres of land, watered by 
Little Monocacy on the north east, and bounded on the south and 
southwest by the county road leading from Baniesville lo Maj. Hetnp- 
ston's Old Brick Mill, The lands of the(fott's ami Pluminer's lie 
adjacent at the south, those of Abraham S. Hayes and Z. G. Harris 
on the east and southeast, and those of Colraore Oftutt and Han- 
son Hayes on the north. The proprietorship of some of 
the.'^e lands is now no doubt ditterent. Patrick McDade's old mill 
was located on Little Monocacy about a half a mile north of Moun- 
tain View. This ferm was my home in early boy-hood. On it 
were several localities, the recollection of which is dear to my heart. 
These localities were named respectfully, Chesnut Hill, Grapevine 
Summit, Cool Spring Groye, Wild Plumb Knoll, and Chipmunck 
Harbor. Here I played in the innocence of childhood, and pon- 
dered the precepts which were taught by the venerable pedago- 
gues of "The Hundred." 

On Mountain view, my Sister died at the age of sixteen years. 
Her early death was the first in the family. Her name was Louisa, 
and, though she drooped, taded and fell so early, yet she appeared 
to spend more of her time in the world beyond than she spent in 
this. Her remains repose in the Old CTiave Yard on Mountain 
View. My father died on a'l adjacent farm, and his dust too re- 
poses m the same grave yard, beside that of my sister, under a tall 
and spreading "Sweet heart Cherry i rte." 



Henry Harding, another of Montgomery's worth}' and useful 
citizens, represented the county several times in the State Legisla- 
ture and as Register of Wills aud Chief Judge of the Orphans' 
Court. 



69 

The two Drs. Duvall, father and son, were promiatint and ^active 
in their professions, and as politicians and representatives of the 
county in the State Legislature. 

Roger Brooke, an immediate decendant ot'o..e of the first settlers 
of the colony of Maryland, was ao<^^ed for wit and humor, and 
though a Quaker, he had like Washington, a great fondness for his 
hounds and the fox chase; and \v:is one of the I est, most active and 
successful farmers of the founry. Mr. Francis P. Blair, in an ag- 
ricultural address, charactized him ;ts a second Franklin. v^ 

Mr. Blair above alluded to, who so beautifully and elegantly es- 
tablished himself at his well known seat of Silver Spring, was at- 
tracted to the spot under singular circumstances. He had pur- 
chased a very fine saddle hor:<r, Seliui, of the late Gen. VVfti. 
Lingan Garther, another of Montgomery's representative men, who 
had repeatedly seryed his native county with credit and ability in 
both brancbes of the State Legislature. In taking a ride with 
his daughter, beyond the limits of the District of Columbia and in 
the lower part of Montgomery county, Selim became frightened, 
threw his rider and ran down among the thick growth of pines in 
the valley to the west of the road. Mr. Blair followed and found the 
horse fast to a bush, which had caught the dangling reins of the 
bridle. Near the spot he spied a bold fountain l)ubbling up, the 
beautiful white sand sparkling iu the water like specks [of silver. 
Mr. Blair became so charmed with the spc>t and the spring, that 
he resolved at once if possible to possess it. He sought its 
owner and soon a bargain was made at what then was considered 
a good price by the s^ller ; but in the eyes of Mr. Blair as very 
cheap. These are the circumstances, which led to the proprietor- 
ship of the far-famed and classic seat of Silver-Spring ; where its 
venerable and distinguished owner spent in elegant retirement 
the last twenty-five years of his long and eventful life, and died 
peacefully, full of years and full of honors, at the advanced period 
of eighty-five. 

Robert Pottinger and Dr. William Bowie Magruder, fatlier of 
the late most excellent and valuable citizen and physician, Dr. VVm. 
B. Magruder of Brooke ville, «ere leading and prominent citizens 
of the county, in their day and generation. 

Maj George Peter, mentioned in Mr. Anderson's History of the 
County, was a member of Congress for this District, and during 
life, a prominent and active politician. He served in the 1-egisla- 
lure of the State. He commanded an artillery company in the 
war of 1812, and had among his soldiers George Peabody, who sub- 
sequently became the great Banker and Philantiiropist, and the 
late George R. Gaither of Baltimore, who then, with Mr. Peabody, 
resided in Georgetown, D. C. 



70 

Thos. F. W. Vinson, well and favorably known to the citizens of 
Montgomery county, was ;i line specimen of the gentleman of the 
olden times. Hi> pleasing manners at once put his friends as well as 
strangers at perfect ease in his presence. He was for many years 
Sheriff of the county, and one of the Ju jges of the Orphans' 
Court. 

The principal manufacturing establishment in the county was 
Triadelphia Cotton F'actory, founded in 1809, by three brothers-in- 
law, Isaac Briggs, Thomas Moore and Caleb Bently. 

A Woolen Factory was e.^tabli^hed in the neighborhood about the 
same time by David Newlin, all members of the Society of Friends- 
Mr. James Holland grand-father of the present Thomas J. and 
Ciagett Holland, was said, strongly to resemble Gen. Washington 
in his personal appearance. As an Auctioneer he was known tar 
and near. A peculiarity of his habit, was always to give ample 
notice to both seller and buyer. "Going, going, going, the last 
chance, owners and bidders look out.'''' 

We will mention the State Inspectors of tobacco who at different 
times, were appointed from Montgomery county. Richard H. 
Griffith, Phileman Griffith, John W. Darby, Francis Valdemar, 
Perry Etchison, Greenberry S. Etchison, and the present popular 
Inspector, Robert Hilton. 

Mr. John W. Darby once told the writer that, from early youth 
he smoked his pipe on retiiing for the night, and first on rising in 
the morning, using tobacco of his own raising on Montgomery 
county soil, and that he never had a chronic ailment in his life. 

Robert Sellman of Montgomery county was, before the repeal of 
the law appointed State Flour Inspector. He so actively and faith- 
fully discharged the duties of the office, that after the repeal of the 
law, he was, and still is continued as private Inspector at the re- 
quest of the merchants of Baltimore. 

The Editor much regrets that he has not been furnished with 
sketches of many other citizens and families of the county, whose 
names he calls up in fond and pleasant recollections. Such as the 
Fletchers, Dawsons, Platers, Whites, Waters, Darbeys, (Sittings, 
Gotts, Glaizes, Kings, Purdoms, Gaithers, (lues. Browns, Ben- 
sons, Brewers, Gast^aways, Pooies, Neills, Iluttons, Riggs, Owens, 
Gartrells, Perrys, Bealls, Dorseys and a host of others, all of whom 
are worthy of record and of being handed d'wn to posterity and, 
honorable recollection. 



RICHARD MONTGOMERY. 



The name and the glorious achievements of Gen. Richard 
Montgomery, whoae picture aJorus this book, are the common pro- 
perty of the American people, and the people of Montgomery 
county, Maryland, especially, have an old title to that property, 
because they were the first that bestowed his name on a Republi- 
can Municipality. 

The picture is an impression {Vera an electrotype used in ''Good- 
rich's Pictorial History of the United States," published by E. H. 
Butler & Co. Philadelphia, and the following tribute to his memory 
was written in the year 1818, when his remains were brought from 
the spot where he fell in battle before Quebec on the 31st of Decem- 
ber 1775, to St. Paul's Church in the city of New York, where they 
still repose. — 

The hollowed remains of our beloved MONTGOMERY are re- 
moved from a foreign land, where, for near forty three years they 
have reposed, '■'' unknowing andunkown.''^ From all the busy world 
who have listened to a relation of his patriotism, his devotion and 
his valor: from the host of thousands, who saw with amazement 
the might of his Herculean arm, whan raised in the cause of Libkr- 
TY, one, one, only, could point to the sod, under whose favored pall 
our hero slept. That country to which his manly and generous 
soul was so exclusively devoted, has received his decaying fragments 
of mortality to its bosom. In consigning these sacred manes to 
the protection of our common mother, a grateful people will cherish 
in their hearts a sweet rememberance of his virtues with an em- 
bittered regret at his untimely fate. 

We have now, in relation to one of the fathers of our country, 
redeemed our charact r from the imputation of ingratitude. 
All this was due to the bereaved disconsolate, and venerable com- 
panion of our fallen chieftan's bosom, and infinitely more was due 
to the memory and remains of the devoted martyr on the sacred 
and imp«rishable altar of freedom. 

The age-stricken widow of our hero yet lives to see the loved 
remains of her's and her country's Montgomery, removed from 
the plains of crimsoned Abraham, and depo4teJ in the bowels of 
a country, at the shrine of whose welfare he proffered all the 
warmth of his soul, all the energies of his mind, and all the might- 
iness of his strength. 

The removal of the remains was left, by his excellency the 
governor, to the family of the deceased, and (Jol. L. Livingston, (a 
nephew of Gen. Montgomery) proceeded to Quebec for the par- 



72 

pose. — They were indeatified by the faithful hand of an honest and 
ingenious old soldier, wlio attended the funeral, and whose reten- 
tive memory, almost half a fcntury after that mournful era, is 
yet spared to direct the hand of aft'ection to that hallowed turf. 
MONTGOMKRY was the personal and intioiate friend of the lieuten- 
ant general of the CanHilas— was recognized by him alter the bat- 
tle, and favored with a (M^Mm auil .i decent interment, lie was 
buried within the walls of the city. His aid-de-cimps, M^Pfierson 
and CkeeseiiicDt, were both thrown into a hole with their ilothes. 

Tilt- coltiu whi(;h contained the remains had not fallen to pieces 
It appears to have been nf a rough structure, with a silver plate on 
its lid — there is no inscription visible on tlie plate. The anatomy 
is in a perfect state of preservation. The skeleton of the head, with 
the exception of the under jaw, wliicli was .shot away, is perfect. 
Three teeth of the under jaw are together. 

General Solomon Van Uensselear was charged by the Governor 
with the direction of the escort from White Hall to this city, and 
rendered the solemnities interesting and impressive. The remains 
were taken up with great care by Ool. Livingston, and secured by 
binding a tarpmdin close round the old cotlin, and enclosing them in 
an iron bound chest. At Troy they took them from the box and tar 
• cloth*, and enclosed them, together with the original coffin, in a 
most splendid mahogany coffin, made by Mr. John Meade, with the 
following inscription elegantly engraved upon a silver plate, by 
Messrs. Shepherd & Boyd, of this city, placed on its lid. 

THE STATE OF NEW YORK, 

IN HONOR OF 

GENERAL RICHARD MONTGOMERY, 

Wlio fell gloriously lightint' for the 

Independence and Liberty of the United States, 

Before the walls of Qnehec, the Slst, day of December, 1775, 

Caused these remains of thisdistiuguished Hero to be conveyed 

from Quebec, and deposited on the eighth day of July, 

1818, in St. Paul's church, in the City of New York, 

near the monument erected to his memory by 

the United States. 



jV^te.— We should not, like the moon, shine altogether with light 
borrowed from a superior. In patriotism and heroic virtue, we 
should have none. Let us endeavor, from fires of our own kindling, 
to illumine onr line of posterity, and prove that we are not like 
sparkle.ss embers giving no light from onr own composition. 'I'o 
the glory of Montgomkry we should add, if possible. Dying, he 
bnqneathed to us his name. It is a rich inheritance ; and we have 
read that they who take a name by inheritance and add nothing to 
its lustre, are like stars on the sea, not there but for their briglit 
originals in heaven. 3477-251 

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